Wounds That Match
by thatblue
Summary: He looked at her, moonlight wrapped around her like a blanket, and his breathing fought to quicken or stop entirely. She was so broken, but oh so beautiful. And he thought he might have accidentally fallen in love.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Doctor Who. I actually put a lot of work into this so hopefully it turned out well. **

She was alive. Tave was dead.

She could keep her eyes closed tightly forever, and both of those would still be facts. Ara was not a coward- she had fought in the war since she was able to hold a weapon- but from this she hid.

Opening her eyes mean acceptance. It meant admitting that the only one that she had ever loved was gone. And while loss in Ara's life was nothing new- her parents were killed before she could even speak- this was different.

This was Tave. He was the bright eyed boy who had accepted her when she was first sent to the camp. The teenager who had fought right beside her and had never once let her down. He was the man who had stolen this ship from the fleet, and ran away from home with her.

They ran from the fight neither had ever wanted and from the war that no one would ever win.

This was all her idea and now he had been the one to pay the price. The unbreakable pair had been shattered just like the Steel Glass window of the flight deck. That glass she could feel embedded into her cheeks and the shards of her love for him were in her heart. They were the painful evidence that nothing is unbreakable

She waited for death to stake a claim, for that small act of mercy. How could she live if he was gone, what was there to live for now? But it didn't come to release her, and she conceded that she was meant to live. She finally pulled her eye lids open.

Ara was forced to blink rapidly until the light that was pouring into their space seemed less harsh. With the glass completely gone, a view presented itself- all greens and browns. A forest? Foreign air grasped stray locks of her pale hair and used it to tickle her sensitive cheeks.

She longed to brush it away but stayed her hands. It wouldn't do to touch her face until she could pull the glass out. Instead she set about saying goodbye.

She glanced at him, for the first time since the alert had shrieked through the craft. He was still buckled in, though slumped, and his eyes were closed. His chest was still, but just to be certain she reached across the gap and pulled his wrist to her fingertips. His skin was still warm against her palm but there was a very real lack of life.

Biting her lip, which hurt, but it was a pain she was in control of, she looked him over this one last time. She would never see him again, and this helped to distract her from the agony that was rising up to push past the initial shock of the event.

Parts of her were starting to scream for attention and she simply couldn't focus on them. She used all her training to push it to the back of her mind, thinking of nothing but Tave. The only evidence on the outside of him that this ship had gone down was a long scratch across his once perfect forehead.

She bit back a sob. She had never cried because of death. It was something she had seen and caused since she had been enlisted in the Force. Never once in her twenty years had she shed a tear for the loss of someone, and now that was all she wanted to do.

She would cry forever if it meant that he would open those eyes. Flash her that white grin, and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

It hardly seemed fair that he could live way past the life expectancy of a soldier and die like this. At her hands.

She sighed, the only noise, even the forest was still outside. She was beginning to worry the crash had damaged her hearing, but she could hear the exhale, and the seat beneath her groan as she shifted.

She swallowed, which hurt as well, and she tried to ignore the growing list of potential injuries. She unbuckled herself, using the hand that was willing to cooperate. She didn't think the left one was broken but it hurt and was swelling. She tried to use her legs to push her closer to the console but the right one refused to bear weight.

It got added to the list she wouldn't address, yet, and she wiggled instead. When she could finally reach the console her fingers found the sliding door compartment. Inside was a single emergency transport.

Fleet ships were required to have a band for each person on board, but this wasn't a fleet vessel. Not anymore.

She had no intention of going back. She slid it onto Tave's wrist and thought of all the things she had never said.

Now it was too late. So she settled for a kiss on his cheek, and a soft goodbye.

Pressing the correct button he vanished before her eyes.

He was going home, if it could be considered that. But there he would be buried; there he would be among others he had known.

When he was gone she searched for one last thing, sliding it into her pocket inside her jeans. She crawled out of the ship, only making it just beyond before it became too much. She leaned against a tree, and closed her eyes.

She had to move, but she just couldn't. Maybe if she just rested for a moment. She slid into that in-between place- the halfway between dreaming and awake. She couldn't rouse herself when she heard men's voices or when the footsteps came close to her.

She couldn't answer their questions or protest as she felt herself being pulled into solid arms. She couldn't fight back and as the darkness approached she found she didn't want to.

DW

The Doctor stepped out first, only because he wanted to see the other two's face when they came out into the festival. Rose took the step first, and he watched with a sense of his own wonder as she lit up. She kept him trying. The captain came next and he smiled easily. It wasn't the same innocent way that Rose had, but Jack added something to the mix.

The Doctor didn't like to admit it, didn't want Rose to think all pretty boys were a success, but he liked Jack.

"It's beautiful," Rose breathed out in enthusiasm. She was wearing an outfit the TARDIS had picked out for her.

A pale blue dress and sandals which would fit into the local décor nicely.

"You think?" the Doctor smiled, and they moved out of the alley and into the streets. They paused just on the edge, letting them take in the sights.

The city was full of people, from all over. They came here every year at the beginning of the summer months to celebrate the festival of Hope. It was a weeklong festival that was basically an excuse for a party. Winters were hard here, and dangerous temperatures used to claim many lives.

These days they did fine, but it was tradition.

"The planet is Alpha 329, otherwise known as Halfway. This is the festival of Hope."

Rose just beamed, "Think you are so impressive."

"Don't think," he corrected easily, grinning first at her, then Jack. "I know I am."

"I don't know, Rose," Jack started, "sure he takes us places, but he never really lets us see how impressive he is, right?"

Rose giggled, and the Doctor rolled his eyes, "Come on you two," he prompted.

He took Rose's hand and Jack followed close by.

They ate a sweet concoction that even the Doctor had never tried before. It tasted a little like strawberries and honey, but the Doctor couldn't process the thought much farther. Rose was licking the treat in a way that made him forget what he was doing.

"All right, Doctor?" Jack asked, but his tone was far from concern.

The Doctor shot him a glare, grunted an affirmation, and they moved on. The Doctor led them away from the crowds, to a chapel.

It would be quiet in there, and cool. Rose was looking a little red in the face, and he didn't want either of them to suffer a sun burn.

Inside he gave them a brief history of the city, and planet. Then he told them about this chapel.

Years ago, back when the festival was new they used to make a sacrifice at this chapel. Not a death sacrifice, but of the first born daughter.

She would be given to the city. In return they were given protection throughout the year, and fed and taken care of in general.

That had stopped many years ago of course, and the society matured, but it was still a part of their history.

"Can we get some more of that drink?" Rose asked him, using those big eyes.

He simply nodded, though cautioned, "Too many sweets and you'll be groaning."

Rose just stuck her tongue out at him. He sometimes wondered if saying things like that made him seem more like a father figure than he would have liked. He couldn't help it, even if that wasn't the goal. He had enough experience that it led him to be watchful of his companions.

But he bought them all another big cup full, and they wandered, taking in the sights.

They stopped to watch a street play, and when it was done he started to say something to Rose, but she wasn't there.

He looked around for Jack who was also looking around. They caught each other's eyes.

Jack shrugged, and bit his lip.

The Doctor sighed. She couldn't ever just hold still. He instructed Jack to go right and he would go left. He was sure they would find her quickly, but he couldn't help the feeling of dread that filled him.

He moved faster. He had to find his Rose.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor had searched as far as he could walk, and he was on his way back to meeting Jack when an older man waved him over. He didn't want to stop, but he decided that this might be important, and moved over to the man. When he arrived the man put a wrinkled, but strong hand on his arm, and pulled him off into an alley.

When they were far enough in the depths of the alley, the man stopped and looked the Doctor in the eye. The man's eyes were lavender, his hair the normal dark blue. But inside those eyes the Doctor saw a storm of emotions, each fighting for control. This man was scared, and somewhere inside there the Doctor knew there was anger. You rarely had fear of that intensity without an underlying anger.

"You have lost someone," the old man said, his voice gravely. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," the Doctor agreed and prompted, 'do you know where she is?"

"Below this city there is still remnants of an old tradition," the man told him. "During the festival they take the most beautiful women from the crowd, and they take them there."

"Take them where?"

The man looked over the Doctor shoulder, and shook his head.

"I have to go," he said, "times are dangerous."

Dangerous? The Doctor had brought them here because this was a time of peace. This man looked very scared.

"What year is it?" the Doctor asked.

The man tried to move past him, but the Doctor blocked him. He tried not to make this seem like an act of aggression. It he was right then they were all in danger. Not just Rose or Jack or him. This whole galaxy was in trouble, all because of a civil war on one little planet on the far edge.

"5138," the man told him, "please, let me go."

"Rose?" the Doctor pleaded. He had to get her back. Then he could go from there.

The man looked around him one more time, before he leaned in close, and whispered, "Beneath the church there is a tunnel. It will lead you to her, and our darkest secret."

The Doctor started to let him by when the old man's eyes rolled back into his head. The Doctor made to move forward, but then the man started shaking and foam began to flow past his pale lips. The Doctor looked around.

He couldn't touch him- forced to let the old man's body fall in a heavy lump. Someone had killed him, and he had to get away. He whispered his apology and ran to the edge of the alley.

A glance back confirmed that they were too far to really see what was going on, and he could barely make out the body. He stepped out into the festival, the noise blocking out any sounds that could have came.

He hurried to find Jack, trying not to draw attention to him. He kept an eye out, but saw no one in pursuit. It was possible that whatever had killed him had come from afar, but whatever it was it had been murder.

A galaxy on the brink of destruction, and he had taken them into the heart of it. When Jack came into view he pulled him into a brief hug. In that hug he whispered the story, so low that Jack had to push his ear almost to the Doctor's mouth. But the story was told, and Jack pulled back, grinning as if he had just heard a joke.

The Doctor forced a smile as well, probably not as convincing as Jack's. But he had only given Jack the abridged version so he knew what danger they were in.

The first priority was finding Rose. If they could do that, and live, they might stand a chance of preventing the biggest war to affect this little corner of the universe.

DW

Ara opened her eyes. She was strapped to a table which she thought was a little bit of overkill. Where was she going? Her body hurt badly, and one of the straps was holding her broken leg down.

The room was white. A hospital, perhaps. Only they didn't seem like they were interested in healing her. She was alone as far as she could tell. No noises but a weird low hum that she made out to be a cooling unit.

The day outside, when the air had been coming into the ship was warm, but now she was on the brink of cold. She fought hard against a shiver, knowing it would only ignite pain she was managing to keep dormant.

She wasn't entirely sure where they had landed, but knew they were two days from home. Probably somewhere around the planet of Halfway, or possibly as far as Bastain. The navigation had gone wonky before they crashed, so it was hard to say for sure. They were both supposed to be peaceful planets, who had welcomed people from off world. But that was before.

It seemed as if everyone had been on edge, if the required hour of galactic news was to be believed. She sat and watched, with Tave- the thought of him made her swallow a sob- every night. Watched how the news carried from their little civil war to light a fire in the farthest reaches. It had been another reason to hate the war. Wasn't it bad enough they were destroying themselves?

It had also been the final straw. She had Tave had made a plan, and when the time finally came they ran.

Their goal was talk to someone higher up. Someone who could help negotiate peace, and now because of her they had failed.

She was strapped to a bed, on a planet she didn't know.

And she was alone.

Ara heard the mechanical sound of a door sliding open, and the soft footfall of feet. She pulled on her training and decided that it was two women. Or young men- light steps.

A face came into view, a woman. Her eyes were lavender, her blue hair pulled back into a neat formation.

Ara swallowed. Halfway- at least she knew now.

"Hello, child," the woman greeted her. Her accent was slightly different than the one they used at home. More formal, but then they hadn't been fighting for hundreds of years.

She would take horrible winters over holding the body of a young soldier, barely able to hold the weapon but old enough to die for the cause. Just seeing this woman inspired a rage Ara didn't know she was capable of.

She had always fought but it hadn't been by choice. She had never wanted to kill, but if she wasn't strapped to the bed she thought she might kill this woman.

Another woman joined her. Much younger though, probably closer to Ara's age. She seemed to be in training.

The woman seemed to be waiting on her to answer but she refused.

"Don't worry, we will insert the chip and it will heal your injuries," she told Aar reaching out to touch her cheek. Ara pulled back as best she could and the woman seemed to understand. "It'll help keep your temper under control as well," she told her. "Lin, bring in the other new girl."

Lin nodded, and the sound of the door hit Ara's ears again. The older woman moved out of view, and Ara tried to listen to what she was doing. She knew nothing of this chip, but she knew that she wasn't going to let it happen to her.

Someone had been trying to change her since she was born, and she hadn't fought it this long and hard to just give in. Her fingertips flexed on her left hand, the swollen one, and she felt the band in her pocket.

She needed them close to use it, but it might be enough to convince them that she was dangerous. She hoped they would kill her, but if not maybe they would just stay away from her.

Another girl was wheeled in a second later, they were placed side by side, and Ara turned her head. The girl had blond hair, and her eyes were closed.

At first she thought of the Gov, they were the only ones with blond hair that she had ever seen, but this girl didn't look like a soldier. She stirred, and was shushed by Lin.

Ara bit her lip. She didn't know if she was close enough for the field to work on this girl as well, but she had to try. As angry as she was right now, at everyone and everything, she knew that this girl didn't belong here. And if she was going to fight for anything, it should be for the good of someone else.

She wiggled and when she was as close as she could get to the sleeping girl she waited. When the two approached she pulled her fingers against her thigh. It was enough, and a force field went up around the two girls.

It carried with it a low electrical current, but it seemed to be enough to make the two on the outside nervous.

The girl stirred again, and it was Ara who quieted her this time. She swallowed away her worry, and began to make a list of demands.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor and Jack had separated at the bottom of the long stair case. The tunnel that ran below the city went in two directions and he thought their chances of finding Rose were best apart. He took the right and eventually came to a long row of what looked like prison cells.

He wasn't sure what they used the girls for, if it was like the old days and they were a gift to the city, or something else. Either way it made him angry, and it wasn't just because they had taken his Rose. No women…no person should be kidnapped and then thrown into a cell as if they were being punished.

He had every intention of freeing the women he came upon, but the first cell he came to was empty. He thought it was odd, but he carried on. Cell after cell was empty, and there was no noise, aside from the mechanical humming that filled the halls.

He got to the point he wasn't even really looking anymore. Just glancing and moving on. It was for that reason that he had almost missed her.

She didn't make a sound, though when he pulled back to look again he could see her looking up at him. She didn't call out, or beg to be rescued. That left two possibilities for him to struggle with. She either was too proud to ask, or she didn't care if someone came to help. She had given up.

Both only served to make him want to help her that bit more. He opened the cell, speaking softly to her as he would a frightened child. She wasn't a child, but he didn't know what else to do. When he came into the cell, she simply sat there.

He squatted down, to look at her better. She was tucked into the corner, the only prisoner he had seen in this whole hallway.

All alone.

She was beautiful; he would have to be blind not to notice. There was slight bruising on her face, and he could tell something had punctured the skin in several places, but it was clean and healing. Even with her injuries she would be enough to make someone take a second glance.

Her hair was dark, a muddy brown color, and her eyes were a dark green. A deep shade that was almost too dark to even be considered a color other than black. But he could see it, and he knew where she came from.

He didn't know why she was here, and what she made of Rose if she saw her, but she was here. She was far from home, far from the war that was going to destroy this galaxy if it didn't stop. She was a soldier, from the side of the Force.

She didn't look like she would hurt Rose, if anything she looked defeated but Rose would have looked like the opposition at first glance. On this girls planet only the Gov had light hair, of course they had light eyes as well. Would she have hurt Rose because she wanted to destroy the enemy?

"She's safe," the girl told him. Her voice was hoarse.

"Rose?"

The girl nodded, "I tried but…" she had to stop and swallow. The Doctor dug into his pocket, and found a bottle of water. He held it out to her, and she fumbled to get it to her lips. He wanted to help, but she shook her head. After she took a few small sips, she managed to hand it back. "Thanks," she sounded better now, "I tried to keep her with me, but they wouldn't allow it. I gave her to band though. She should be fine."

The band could be a lot of things, but all he cared about was this girl had tried to protect Rose. She had saved someone who she didn't even know, and that was enough for the Doctor.

It was enough to make a move to pull her up, and lead her away from there. She shook her head though, and pulled back, with a large amount of pain he noted, "Go get her, get her safe. She's a nice girl, take care of her."

Here the Doctor paused. He was going to get this girl away from this place, but he couldn't decide her reason for refusing. If it was just self pity he might try tough love, but he didn't think it was that. He thought maybe she just truly had stopped caring, and he sighed.

He moved too fast for her, and in a moment she was standing at his side. Well, leaning. She was injured, badly, and he knew that he needed to get her to the TARDIS. He would be coming back to deal with this little…whatever this was…but right now there were bigger problems.

She didn't argue, once she was standing, and that was almost as bad as her refusing to come. The Doctor was a man who knew what broken looked like. This girl was broken.

He could see himself in her wounds, and that made it his mission to bring her back from the edge. He had Rose to help him do it, it was time to pass that gift on.

They moved out into the hall, and he had to admit he was mostly carrying the poor girl. She wasn't heavy, and he had his large hand holding her to his side. Underneath his palm was rippling muscle, but she was awfully thin. He added it to the list. And while she wasn't heavy it would have been faster to just lift her into his arms, but she was trying so very hard to walk.

He couldn't bring himself to take that from her.

Things had been quiet down here; all the officials were probably at the celebration. It made him angry to think that she and Rose had just been separated and left down here. Very angry and it caused the girl to look up at him.

Right, she might be human, but she wasn't a twenty first century human. She would have some psychic abilities, probably even some training. He would have to keep himself in better control.

They rounded the corner about the time the alarm when off. He saw Jack coming running with Rose's hand in his. She looked well, maybe a little rough but unharmed. She smiled at him, and then at his passenger.

"Ara," Rose greeted.

Ara, he hadn't even asked her name yet. Granted he had been a bit busy. He could hear footsteps coming.

"Let's save the reunion until we are safe," he instructed the group. At this point he had Jack take Ara, and she was pulled into his arms without time for protest. The Doctor got the group ahead of him, and the piled up the stairs.

At the top they moved out the hidden door, and the Doctor used the sonic on it. There was something going on here. Something big and a man had been murdered already. He would be back. He would fix this, but he had other things to attend to.

Once back in the almost empty chapel they slowed as much as they dared. No one seemed to give them a second glance, not even Jack carrying Ara.

They made it back outside, and the Doctor was very relieved when they made it back to the TARDIS. Probably the locals made it hard to get to them through the festival, but he would take the mercy in whatever form it came.

He loaded them in the TARDIS, and got them off the planet. They would take a spin in the vortex until he could get Ara healed, and Rose looked over. Then they would figure out what the next step needed to be.

He heard Ara cough and when he looked she went limp in Jack's arms. Rose was rushing towards her, but the Doctor stepped in. Ara was transferred to his waiting arms, and with frantic hearts he ran to the med-bay.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I hope I don't upset any hardcore Rose/Doctor fans. I am nine/ Rose, I really am, but I thought it might be interesting for the Doctor to have to wrestle with a few conflicting emotions. Also, I'd love to hear your opinions. **

He rushed Ara to the med-bay, barely noticing the door close with a click behind him. He laid her gently on the bed, and quickly ran a full body scan. The poor girl, he was right to think she was broken. A punctured lung was only one of her problems.

But he slowed his hearts, and calmed his hands, and carefully healed her body. Bones were mended, bleeding stopped. Soon there wasn't a physical thing wrong with her, but her heart beat was still skipping and erratic.

He understood with startling clearness, that while he could heal her body, there wasn't a machine in here that could give her the will to live. There wasn't a machine made that could do that.

For him it had been Rose, and a gentleness that he had seen from 'run'.

Words and actions were the only thing that could save someone from themselves, and he looked up. He saw that the door was closed, and he didn't have to check to see that it was locked. He might not understand why, but he was on his own here.

"Come on," he whispered to the still form on the bed.

Even with her eyes closed he could still imagine her eyes, so dark, but so beautiful. They had held sadness but there had been strength there as well.

He reached a hand out, unsure about touching now that he wasn't healing, but brushed back her hair from her head.

He almost withdrew it when he started seeing visions. He knew better to look, her defenses were down, but somehow he was dragged in. It was almost as if she had wanted him to see this.

He could see scenes from Ara's life flash through as quickly as if he were flipping through still pictures. Some lingered, enough for him to see what she felt for a blue eyed boy with dark hair.

A boy who was clearly the mixture of the Force and the Gov. Someone had crossed a boundary for love, and the results had been this boy…Tave.

He could feel the love for that mixed up boy so strongly he almost forgot it didn't come from him. Then he saw him dead in the seat next to her. He saw her reach out, and send him back home.

And while his body disappeared forever, she was bombarded with faces, so many lives that had been lost. He heard a mental vow to never lift another weapon, and an overwhelmingly loneliness from the girl who had always been alone.

He pulled out of her mind, and kept his hand gently stroking her hair. She needed an anchor to this world, and right now that was him. Only him.

He checked her heart rate, and it was the same. Eventually it would be too much strain and it would simply stop, and he needed her back before then. He told himself he wouldn't lose her for Rose's sake, but he knew that wasn't completely true.

Ara intrigued him, made him want to know more. He had seen a memory of her smile, and he found himself wanting to be the cause of that reaction.

She was, most importantly, broken and in need.

"You aren't alone," he said. It was a promise.

He watched and for just a few beats her heart ran normal. That was a start.

He kept talking, mostly nonsense, but reassurance all the same. He could see her time line right in front of him.

And suddenly he found himself reaching out for it, doing something he had only done once before. He peeked.

He rifled through them, vowing that the ones that had her death on this bed soon, wouldn't come true. There was one that had him leaving her back on her planet, but they had brought about the end of the war.

She waved, but she was still all alone, and he decided that he didn't like that one either. He kept looking, ignoring a few that were confusing to him. One of them where he was confessing his love to her-that one he pushed away quickly.

He loved Rose, and while he knew there were possibilities for every action he still felt guilty for that one even lying there. He was getting anywhere fast, and he let the bundle go from his grasp.

He heard the machine, before he even opened his eyes. It was a steady, slow beat, and he checked it just in case. Her heart was going strong, so he rose, letting go of her reluctantly. He moved over, and got supplies to start and IV. When that was done, he gave her a shot of antibiotic, because the TARDIS informed him that she had a small infection, and then he headed for the door.

She needed rest, and he needed to see Rose. He instructed the TARDIS to let him know when she started to wake, and opened the now unlocked door.

Outside Rose and Jack were sitting on the ground; he had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. She looked like she had been crying. He tried to ignore the sense of guilt he had felt since he had seen that particular time line, and tried to smile. He was even willing to overlook his jealousy about Jack touching her so intimately.

"Why did you lock us out, Doctor?" Rose asked him. She shifted, and finally rose, Jack following her lead.

"I didn't," he told her, honestly. "I think the TARDIS did, but I'm not sure why."

Rose looked at him for a while, and then glanced up as if judging the TARDIS and her actions but finally just sighed.

"How is Ara?"

"She's holding on," the Doctor told them. "How are you, Rose?"

Suddenly his arms were open, and she was in them. He held her tightly, and there wasn't much that could have made him let go for several minutes.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, sounding thoroughly squeezed.

"Right, sorry," he said, and let her go.

He looked at her, the women he loved and hadn't ever told. He wasn't going to start now either, so he did what he did best when things got too close to personal. He led them to the kitchen.

Rose explained what had happened, and what Ara had done for him. His hearts swelled with pride. It amazed him how often it was the human race, with all their faults and weakness that were the bravest. To risk it all for a complete stranger and this time that stranger was his Rose.

He would forever be in her debt.

"Can I see her?" Rose asked.

"Maybe later," the Doctor told her, watching her yawn.

"I think it's time for all the little humans to go to bed," he said.

Jack stuck out his tongue, and Rose mimicked.

The Doctor chuckled fondly, and led them both to their room. He shook of the domestic feel, worrying next he would be kissing them goodnight. When they were both safe in their rooms, and he was certain sleep would find them, he headed back to the med-bay.

She was still asleep, but her body had been through a lot, so he wasn't surprised.

He sat beside her bed, telling himself it was only his role as healer.

She became a little restless and he reached for her hand. When he slid his into hers, and her fingers wrapped around his in reflex, she calmed. He couldn't take away that tiny amount of comfort, and in truth he felt a comfort from it too.

It was rare he found someone who actually needed him. He rubbed her hand gently with his thumb, before leaning back in his chair.

He would be here when she woke.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the middle of the night when she stirred. The TARDIS had provided him with a book, but he was having a hard time reading. He would glance down, but then he would be worried about her heart again, and would have to check the screen.

So when she stirred, he was eager to toss the book on the table that had materialized, and he stood up. He gently slipped his hand out of hers, not wanting to come on too strong, and waited until she opened her eyes. She blinked against the bright lights of the med-bay, and he asked the TARDIS to lower them a little.

"That's better," he told Ara, and she reopened her eyes.

She wiggled a little before she answered, "Better, thanks."

"How are you feeling?"

Another wiggle, which he took to be a form of self diagnostic, and she said, "Better. You helped me?"

"Yes," he said simply.

She bit her lip, and he struggled to find adequate words. It never ceased to amaze him, that with all the words and languages he held inside his mind, words of comfort were still a struggle. Even when this body often needed it, despite what he might pretend on the outside, he wasn't very good at giving it.

So he tried to think back to what had helped him, what Rose had been for him. Mostly she was just there for him…he could do that.

"Would you like something…tea…or something to eat?"

She was still looking at him and he felt almost overwhelmed in her gaze. She was quiet and he could see her hesitance, she barely knew him. And her whole life hadn't been one that was built on a trust for outsiders.

With her kind of life, the life of a soldier, you only trusted those who had proven themselves.

"Sure," she finally said, and started to stand up.

He fought back the urge to help her, just like he had made himself not carry her down in the tunnels. She needed this; she needed to feel like she was still strong. There was a break coming, this tough exterior had its cracks, but for now he would let her pretend. It was what he wanted for himself.

He was a Time Lord though, and he could go so much longer broken before it shattered him. She was a human, and therefore much more fragile.

He led her to the kitchen, and the only noise was from the hum of the TARDIS. She was encouraging him to talk to Ara, but he didn't know what to say. This wasn't his most chatty incarnation.

The Kitchen was empty, the others still asleep. He had her sit, and set about making tea, and finding something for her to eat. Normally he got Rose or Jack to do the cooking and serving, it was easy if he pretended he was much too busy. That didn't mean he didn't know how though, or that he was wasn't good at it.

He looked her over, trying to decide what she would like most to eat. Growing up on the side of the Force, food would have been limited and bland, only the Gov had means to have a large variety of food. The Gov had everything, thus the reason for fighting.

He decided to just make her a sandwich, and he threw ham and cheese on there. He brought it to her with a large glass of water, and instructed her to drink the whole thing. Like a good soldier she followed his order at once, and he knew that he was going to have to be careful how he put his words.

She needed a choice, which was the best thing for someone who had them stolen time and time again. She had it seemed been willing to accept him as a superior, or she felt in his debt, but either way he took it as a tiny form of trust.

He could build on that, earn it, but for now it was a start. He waited on the water, keeping an eye on her without making it obvious. She was looking over the sandwich, and he was afraid she was going to not eat. He couldn't let that happen, she was already too skinny.

But she took a bit, and then another. He wondered how long it had been since she had eaten, and planned to make sure that as long as she was with them that she would eat regularly.

He was mixing in sugar into the glasses when Jack shuffled in. He looked up at the Doctor and then at Ara.

"Morning," Jack said, his voice still husky with sleep.

The Doctor nodded, and Jack shuffled forward. He made himself something to eat and sat opposite of Ara.

He was watching her, probably seeing something in her that only another soldier could see.

"I'm Jack," he said, sticking out a hand.

Then Ara did something that surprised the Doctor, she smiled. For the first time since he had seen her and a light came into her eyes. Leave it to the pretty boy, the Doctor thought bitterly.

"Arayann," she said, "but I go by Ara."

"Ara," Jack said, rolling the word around his mouth. "Thank you for helping, Rose."

At this point he looked over at the Doctor, as if he knew that the Doctor probably hadn't expressed his gratitude. And he might have been right, at least not in words, but he had made her a sandwich. That had to count for something.

Ara shrugged, and said, "I like Rose."

There was no number of thanks in the universe that could ever help him pay back the debt she had put him in. Taking care of Rose was something he could never pay back.

Ara glanced at the fridge, and the Doctor followed her gaze. The Doctor smiled a little, mostly to himself, and set about making her another sandwich as Rose shuffled in.

Both she and Jack had woken up after only a few hours of sleep. That wasn't such a surprise from Jack he knew that the captain had nightmares, but Rose usually fought him to sleep another five minutes.

"Are you all right?" the Doctor asked her as she shuffled up to him.

She laid her head on his shoulder, staking a claim she couldn't know she was doing, and he felt her nod.

"Nightmares?" he followed up.

He heard her sigh, and knew that he was right. He had to fight back his anger. He wanted so much to shield Rose from the universe but failed at every turn. If he had his way nothing that bothered her would ever be seen, but he couldn't stop it for her. He couldn't stop the bad, but that didn't mean that he couldn't try.

He threw his arm around her shoulder, returning her claim. Both done without words, but both meaningful. The one arm hug was brief, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead and shooed her to the table.

Soon they were all sitting, and Rose was managing to form a conversation with Jack and Ara. So far the smile at Jack had been the only one, but she was talking and had finished the other sandwich.

"I'm sorry to be trouble," Ara told the Doctor, out of nowhere.

He tried to smile, and said, "It's not your fault. Humans aren't known for…"

He was receiving three glares, and decided insulting a species shouldn't be done when he is outnumbered by them.

But Ara was glaring as well, and it made him smile. As long as there was still fight in her, he thought this group could help her heal.


	6. Chapter 6

Ara was off on a tour with Rose, and the Doctor had sat Jack down in the kitchen. If anyone could help him with her, it would be Jack. Jack had a past, and the Doctor didn't know half of it, but he could trust Jack and that was enough.

"What is the plan, Doctor?" Jack asked, looking him over.

Sometimes, when it was something that actually mattered, the playful flirt vanished and the careful captain filled the space. This was one of those times, and he was grateful that he wasn't alone in this matter. If he was alone, if hadn't had help to heal himself to this point, that girl that he had rescued might be a lot worse off.

"I think that right now, if she is willing to stay, that we need to try to help her. She's been through a lot, Jack," the Doctor said. He didn't admit he knew just how much, because he had been in her mind. He thought Jack might frown upon that. "We need to show her that there is more to life than loss and pain."

Jack was silent for a moment, his face showing where his thoughts had gone. Didn't they both have points in their own lives, when they had been certain that there was nothing else in the universe? He hoped Jack would be gentle in his approach, and he hoped he would as well. The truth was he was scared, of more than he could address, and when he was scared he tended to cover that with anger.

"In the meantime, for as long as we have her," the Doctor continued, "we should probably keep a close eye on her."

"You don't trust her?" Jack questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"With the TARDIS, with us, I think I do," the Doctor said. "Not with herself."

He didn't have to say more, Jack simply nodded, and made a promise. He felt a sense of relief, knowing another set of eyes would be welcome. He did trust her with them and the TARDIS, he had seen inside her, and that was a heart of good.

But he had already brought her back from the edge, and he was sure that it wouldn't take much more than ample opportunity to have her teetering again. He wouldn't let her fall. If that meant she didn't have much time to herself, if she felt like she was being babysitted, then so be it.

Until she found a reason to go on, whatever form that might come in, simply not having the chance not to would be enough. Right now though, she was with Rose, and Rose simply being herself was a balm to the worst wounds.

"When she is better, we will take her to the Galactic Council, and let her try to fight for peace there. That was where she was going anyway, and I think it would be good for her."

That had been where she and Tave had been running to. Two children, who had known only war, were out there fighting for peace, and he had every intention of helping her win that fight.

Jack didn't ask how he knew, probably he could guess, but he didn't seem to pass judgment. He found himself glad once again, that Jack really was bigger on the inside.

DW

Rose had been leading her around the endless space inside this ship. She called it the TARDIS, and Ara had nodded politely. It was bigger than any ship she had ever seen. Ara was tired, but it wasn't normal tired, this was an exhaustion that came from somewhere deep inside, and felt like it was calling her to just rest.

She wanted to close her eyes, and sleep and sleep but she kept following her new…friend? She had never had a friend aside from Tave, certainly not one like Rose.

Everything was so much here, and she didn't know how to act. She was used to gun fire, and holding the dying in her arms.

"This is the pool," Rose said, opening the door to a large contained body of water.

The only water Ara had ever seen had been ponds, and rivers and once a lake. Nothing like this, that seemed to be for luxury. Perhaps the Gov had something like this, but she didn't think she would ever know.

She had never seen most of the things she had seen in this place. Rose had shown Ara her bedroom, and she had her own bed…an actual bed. Most of the time, unless they had taken a house from the Gov, they slept on the ground, no matter the season.

This was amazing, and Ara didn't know if she should be angry or simply appreciative. Rose smiled so much, she was clean and happy, and Ara wondered why she had been born on a planet where there had been nothing but trial since she was born.

Would she smile more if she had a bed of her own, and a…pool? Would she be happier if she had enough food to eat, and people who looked at her like the Doctor and Jack looked at Rose? They had risked their lives to come rescue her on that planet, and she would have had no one come and get her ever.

She was all alone, always alone. Rose kept talking, but it was hard for her to hear her now. The shadows seemed darker, and her heart wouldn't stop racing once it began. She was a soldier, she had been shown her whole life how to hide her fear. But right now, even if it didn't show, she was terrified.

She didn't know these people; she didn't understand why those with so much would show her any kindness. She wondered how many more minutes would they let her stay, would they just leave her back at home? Would they turn her over to the Gov, she would rather just die.

This wasn't home, she didn't have a home. She didn't have anything. Everything she was fighting for was gone; everything she had loved was gone. There was nothing left, but emptiness and loss.

She kept thinking that she wished Tave was there, and then had the hope snatched away when she remembered he was gone forever. And it was all her fault.

She would never see him again, never hear him laugh- a sound so rare that it was more treasured then music- or have him hold her hand. Sometimes when there had been a lull in the fighting he even held her in his arms, and let her just sleep, all night.

But never again.

Suddenly she couldn't find enough air, and the world was growing dark around the edges. She could hear Rose ask if she was okay, but she couldn't answer. It was as if her brain had disconnected from her body. She was too aware, and unaware, and a jumble inside.

Her heart beat so fast she was sure it couldn't keep up, and she leaned against the wall.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled out.

She didn't need a doctor. She saw the ground coming towards her but her limbs were useless. She didn't need a doctor, she didn't. She needed Tave. She needed Tave!


	7. Chapter 7

The Doctor rose from his seat, the chair falling from the force. He was already moving, heading to find Rose and Ara by the time Rose's voice broke into the kitchen. He should have known that something like this could happen; this was all bound to be too much for someone who had nothing her whole life.

For a human to step into the TARDIS was a huge change, for someone who was born in fire and raised in an inferno, this sort of peace would seem to be a war. He should have kept a better eye on her.

Thanks to the TARDIS, he came upon the correct hallway at once. Rose was sitting down next to Ara, but she stood as she saw the Doctor approached.

"She was fine," Rose said, "and then it was like she couldn't breathe, Doctor. Is she okay?"

The Doctor was moving to squat down next to Ara. "She's having a panic attack. You and Jack go and get me a hypo spray. The TARDIS will provide the right medicine."

Rose nodded, and she and Jack moved.

"Ara," he said, gently. "Focus on my voice. Nothing can hurt you here, you are safe. Safe and not alone."

She was leaning heavily on the wall, and it was clear she didn't even hear his voice. Normally he wouldn't come near a soldier who was in a panicked state, but this was an emergency, and he didn't think she was in any state to try to fight him.

He moved right next to her, wrapping his long arms around her small body, and pulling her to him. Touching her he could feel the tremble, and how fast she was breathing. He adjusted her so her head was right in between his hearts, and focused on taking slow breaths.

"Shh," he said. He had learned that telling someone to slow their breathing never worked, but letting them breathe when you did seemed to help. "Ara, I want you to breathe when I do. Don't think about anything else, only my voice and my breathing."

He used his right hand to rub slow circles on her back, and he kept talking to her. He had the ability to put people in a slightly hypnotic state, and he was hoping that he could get her there by the time Rose and Jack got back.

He hated to just drug her up.

He could feel her heart beating against him, racing at a way too fast pace, but her breathing had slowed minutely. He raised up his hand, covering her free ear, so all she could hear were his hearts and his breathing. Where were Rose and Jack?

He focused on the soothing motion of his other hand, trying hard not to fall into the hole that touching her skin had created. He fought himself back from the edge, but his mind was traitorous and he was immersed in hers before he could stop it.

_Doctor?_

The simple voice almost undid him; it had been so long since he had someone else filling his mind.

_I'm here_

It was a simple response, but it seemed to finally break through. Outside of this private little world, he could feel her heart slowing its pace, and her breathing calming down.

He shouldn't be in here, but she wasn't pushing him out. It had been so long, and his mind ached for the noise that she was able to provide. Actually her mind was chaos and the noise was almost too much, but after the silence he longed to linger in it.

He could feel her body relax in his arms, and he could hear Rose and Jack approaching at last, but he stayed there for a moment. He shouldn't be able to do this, not with a human, even with training. But it seemed she was slightly more psychic than her race tended to be, and he wondered if this was his mind mate.

Sometimes among psychic races there could be kindred minds, and they would connect no matter what barriers were put in place. It didn't have to be anything romantic or even anything based on friendship. It was often attributed to similar experiences, but it had never been fully explained. Not even by his people.

It made him wonder, but now wasn't the time to figure it out. He pulled out of her mind, ignoring how it hurt his head to be empty again, and looked over at Rose.

She was holding out a hypo, and he saw that her eyes were watching him carefully. He was still holding Ara to his chest, and he thought maybe Rose was upset with him. He hoped she understood that this wasn't anything, that he would be doing this for anyone that needed his help.

Or maybe she didn't think anything, and he was feeling guilty. Because the truth was that he didn't exactly mind Ara's warm presence in his arms. He didn't mind her unique scent floating up into his nose, and he hated that he wasn't more objective.

He shook it off, taking the hypo. He pulled back, and looked at Ara who was barely able to keep her eyes open. He looked at the hypo and decided that maybe some deep sleep would be the best thing for her. A sleep so deep that the nightmares that would be coming for her couldn't reach.

When it hissed, she sagged at once. He stood and pulled Ara into his arms, ignoring the look Rose was giving him. He couldn't handle guilt right now, not when there was actually something he needed to do.

He opened the first door he came to, and it was a bedroom, one that he hadn't seen before. It seemed the old girl thought this girl could use some comfort as well. He laid Ara on the bed, which was large and plush, and rolled her on her side, just in case.

He blew out a long exhale, and turned to Rose.

"You're going to stay," Rose said. It wasn't a question.

"For a while," the Doctor said softly, hating the hurt look that crossed her face. "You are welcome to stay, too."

"I'll just see you later," Rose said, and moved closer to him.

He wasn't sure what she was doing, but then she leaned up and kissed his cheek. He reached out to cup her cheek, hoping to convey that this wasn't anything personal. No matter what feelings he was struggling with, he was only staying because he felt responsible for Ara.

Rose smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Then she took Jack's hand, and the Doctor swallowed hard. He watched them walk away, and flopped himself in a chair.

DW

Rose sat in the library, trying hard to read. She wasn't getting anywhere, even if this was a book she had been meaning to read for some time. She was wrestling feelings inside of her, trying to calm her stupid thoughts.

She knew that while she cared about the Doctor she didn't exactly have a claim on him. And even if she did, she knew better than to resent Ara. It wasn't as if she was doing anything to get the Doctor's attention.

The Doctor was just doing what he did, taking care of the broken. She hadn't been bothered by it at all until she had stumbled upon them with the hypo. The Doctor had his arms around Ara, her head pressed into his chest, and he had his free hand on her head.

The Doctor just didn't touch people like that, not her or Jack. He was affectionate in his weird way, but usually fairly distinct. She thought what really bothered her was that he seemed so lost in the embrace, and he had a funny smile on his face.

He looked at peace.

She sighed. This was stupid. She had no reason to be thinking like this. Ara needed their help, and that was the most important thing right now.

"All right, beautiful?" Jack asked, flopping down on the couch.

She looked over at him, ashamed of her jealous thoughts, and nodded. "Sure, I'm fine."

Jack was looking at her in the careful way he sometimes had, when he was seeing more than was being shown.

He threw his arm around her shoulder, and she leaned into him. "You remember when you had that awful flu last month?"

Rose nodded, and said, "Yes."

He kissed her forehead before he continued. He said, "And me and the Doctor took turns staying with you because we were both so worried?"

Rose nodded, it was all a little blurry, but she knew that she hadn't been alone. And she thought she knew where Jack was going with this, but she let him continue.

"Well, you may not remember, but I couldn't get the Doctor to stay away," Jack said, with fondness in his tone. "He kept coming back after only minutes, and he spent days by your bedside. I wondered if he didn't trust me, but he told me that if he wasn't there his mind just kept playing out horrible possibilities. The only way he could be calm is he could see for himself."

He stopped and Rose felt properly guilty. She had known it all along, and she was glad Jack was around to help her remember.

"So you're saying he is staying because he will drive himself nuts otherwise?" Rose asked.

He chuckled, kissed her head again. "Right, Rose. You know he is crazy about you, this doesn't change that."

She sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, the Doctor is jealous if you breathe the same air as another man, but just remember that it doesn't change his love."

Rose nodded, closing her eyes. She felt safe in Jack's arms. She didn't know if what the Doctor felt towards her was love, but she knew that no matter how he hid his hearts, they were capable of so much.

She hoped Ara was okay, and that maybe they could be of some use in her life. She really would like to have another girl around, sometimes it was a bit much living with two men.

She heard Jack's breathing even out, and she realized she was still very tired. She felt sleep closing in and she smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

Breathing was the only noise that filled the room, hers and his. Ara was in a deep sleep, had been for hours, and he knew that it was probably safe to leave her alone. But he couldn't bring himself to do it.

When he was worried about someone his mind began to twist unlikely possibilities into reality. If he left her alone in here, he would conjure up horrible outcomes, enough to the point he would just have to come back.

So he was staying, at least until she woke. The darkness was sort of peaceful, at least when it wasn't him that was trying to rest.

He heard a whimper, tiny, and the only indication that she was coming out of her deep sleep. He waited, unsure if she was having a nightmare. When, what had been easy breathing sped, he rose and moved to the bed.

She sat up straight before he got there, tears rolling down her face.

"Tave?" she whispered.

The Doctor sat on the edge of the bed, wanting to be comforting but unsure how to approach this.

He didn't want to remind her of her loss, so instead he gently took her hand. He wiped her tears away with his free hand and sighed.

"Tell me about him," the Doctor said.

The TARDIS raised the lighting, and Ara's green eyes were almost light for the tears. She swallowed hard, but she didn't take her hand back from his.

He didn't know if she would do it, or if she would be able to do it. Everyone healed differently and she was a lot like him, he could tell.

When you don't have someone to make your life better, you usually don't try. It was why it was so hard to share, even if he did have someone now. Actually a couple of someone's, but old habits die hard.

She bit her lip, and withdrew her hand, scooting over on the bed. It was clear that she was inviting him to get more comfortable and he debated it for a moment, before swinging his legs up onto the bed.

"Tave's mother was from the Gov, that's why he had those light blue eyes," Ara started, her voice soft and full of memories. "His father was a well known soldier, who just happened to be on a mission over the border."

She proceeded to talk, and he didn't miss that she kept her feelings close to her chest. The stories were told as if she was an outsider who had witnessed her own life, but the Doctor could understand.

"We…" Ara said after telling her story, here her voice cracked, as if this was the part she couldn't be absent from. "We were going to go to the galactic council, to try to convince them to intervene. "

He nodded and asked, "I can take you there, if you want. Not today, but when you are ready."

She sighed. "Tave was the one with the words, I'm afraid I don't stand a chance."

"Of course you do," the Doctor told her at once. "You believe in what you are fighting for, that's what matters."

"And what if it doesn't work, Doctor?"

That was where it became complicated. How something that wasn't your fault could always be worn in the form of a scar. If it didn't work a galaxy tore itself apart, starting on little far off planet, and working out.

He wouldn't take her home, not if it failed. If she didn't want to stay with them, he would find her a new home. She wasn't going to go down with them. He had already decided.

"Then you learn to live with it," the Doctor said, softly, tears prickling his own eyes.

He thought about that, how hard he had tried, and how often he still failed.

"How do you do that?"

She asked it softly, as if she were afraid to hear the answer.

The Doctor sighed, leaned his head against the headboard.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out," he said, unable to look at her.

He heard her sigh as well, and then felt her touch his jacket. He looked over and she said, "It wasn't your fault, you know. You did what you had to."

He swallowed hard. He hadn't realized that she had seen, never meant to unload his past into her already troubled mind.

"Wasn't it?"

She shook her head and looked away.

"Maybe," she said, and cleared her throat, "maybe I can go on too. If you can do it, if you can learn to heal, I can too."

His hearts raced. He knew what she was doing. It was gentle, far from forceful and still giving him the option. She would learn to live again, if he would.

He was on the right track, but they both knew there was a long way to go. Could he face his darkness, to help someone else out of theirs?

He looked at her. He had saved planets, galaxies. He had done what needed to be done, stood up when no one else would. But none of that scared him like this did.

"We'll figure it out together?" he asked, still unsure if he was saying yes.

"With Rose and Jack?" she responded.

He smiled. "With Rose and Jack."

"Okay," she agreed. "So, how long have you loved her?"

He frowned. He was grateful for a new subject; this just wasn't the one he would have chosen.

"What makes you think I love her?" the Doctor asked.

"I've been in your mind," she reminded. "And seriously, you should throw up a warning sign before someone sees some of those fantasies. "

"No one told you to look," he said, firmly.

She gave him a glare and said, "I was not looking! Listen I have barriers in place, but you fell past them all, why?"

"I think," he said, trying to figure out how to tell her without it sounding odd. "I think our minds like each other. Possibly from the trauma they have endured, it's not unheard of."

She nodded. "The pool?"

"What about the pool?"

He was grateful to leave the subject of loving Rose behind them. It was an argument in his mind constantly as it was.

"Can I go in it, is that allowed?"

He looked at her, his expression gentle.

"You can go anywhere the TARDIS lets you, Ara. I want you to feel welcome, because you are welcome."

She looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"I'm not anything special, I would understand if you didn't want me around."

He'd be lying if he said that statement didn't break his hearts a little.

"Ara, look at me," he said, and she did at once. "Of course you are special. You are special because you are you, nothing more nothing less."

She looked away again. "If you want me to go, will you tell me?"

He nodded and said, "I think it'll be you telling me you are ready to leave. But all of us are here for you until that day, okay? So how about it, pool? Rose and Jack will probably want to join."

She smiled at him, bright and easy. He was right; being the cause of it was uplifting.

He didn't know how to face down his past, didn't know how to learn to live with what he was instead of ignoring it. But to help someone else, he would try to learn.


	9. Chapter 9

He found himself by the side of the pool watching the other three swim. Ara had been somewhat distant at first, but she was a strong swimmer, and was soon splashing with the others.

Looking at her, the smile on her face, you could almost not see the pain that covered her like a blanket. She was younger than him, by so many years, but those few years she had had been full of torment. Did her youth give her an advantage he didn't have? Did it make her more likely to forge past her wounds, and survive?

Rose suddenly splashed water at him, and he was pulled from his thoughts. He looked at her.

"What'd you do that for?" he said, trying to sound serious, but it was hard with Rose.

She smiled his favorite smile and said, "You looked too…" She tapped her wet finger against her chin. "Pensive"

"Nice one," he said, proudly.

"I thought so," she agreed. "So why are you not swimming?"

He made a gesture to himself and asked, "Do I look like a swimmer?"

She bit her lip, apparently trying to decide. "Yes."

He pointed to the middle of the pool and said, "Go play."

She rolled her eyes and said, "I'm not three."

The Doctor looked over to where Jack and Ara were talking, while keeping themselves afloat. "If Jack asks her out, I'm holding you responsible."

Rose glanced over and shrugged. "They are fine…is it because you can't wear the leather jacket?"

"No, it's not."

Yes, it kind of was.

She stuck out her bottom lip, which was more likely to get her kissed then her way. But since he couldn't do the first, he wouldn't do the second.

What he needed was a distraction, and suddenly he thought of one.

"How would you like me to make us a big dinner tonight?"

She looked doubtful. "You? Dinner?"

He stuck his tongue out at her. Rose Tyler had just turned him into a six year old.

"Yes, dinner. I'm an excellent cook."

"I have to see this."

Thank the gods; he had a reason to leave the pool. Rose looked delicious soaking wet, and his thoughts were border line inappropriate. And by border line he meant so far past the border you could forget it existed.

"All right," he said, standing. "I'm going to go get started. I need about an hour. Keep them occupied."

She nodded and said, "Can do. Say, Doctor?"

He paused and looked at her. "Yes?"

"Do you need an hour to hide the boxes?"

"Rose Tyler, you wound me," he said, with a small smile.

He heard her laugh, and splash away so he left the room. The smell of the pool clung to his jacket, and it made him smile, just a little. He rarely visited the pool, at least not when anyone was around.

It was nice to see it get used, to have laughter echo against the walls. It was good for him and the TARDIS. It made them feel less empty.

He arrived at the kitchen, finding all the ingredients he needed to make his famous- and it really was- lasagna. He set about making the pasta, he had told Rose an hour, and for them that was what it would feel like. In here this was going to take a couple hours at least.

He hummed a tune to fill the silence, and old one from Gallifrey. He was a little surprised when it slipped past his lips, but once it started he didn't want to stop. It wasn't a sad song, quite happy in fact. It made him think of Rose, like the ballad was made for her.

Maybe that was a promising sign. He could learn to see the painful things as something good again. When the song ended, stretched as far as he could make it, he started a new one. This one was a little slower, a little sadder, but still beautiful.

Standing in the kitchen, hands busy making a meal, he felt like he was home. There was nothing that was going to bring Gallifrey back, nothing that could erase what he had done, but this was something.

A few halls away were the others, still having fun in the pool. He wasn't alone, the one thing he had thought he was going to be when he found out he survived.

Then Rose stumbled into his life, or he stumbled into hers. Whichever ever it was, it was undoubtedly the reason he was standing her now. Without her he would have died, would have ended his life. But then she was there, with her persistence questioning and her unwillingness to let him just walk away.

She saved his life, was still saving it.

Thanks to Rose, he could even look at Ara and agree that they would heal to together. Without Rose there was nothing, and he hoped she knew that. He wasn't good at the words, convinced that if he said them he would lose her.

So he held them in, but tried to show her. Wanted her to see in his actions that he was crazy about her, would do anything for her.

It was all he had, so he hoped it was enough.

He finished layering his creation, and slid it to the preheated oven. Then he cleaned his dishes and sat at the table with a cup of tea. The smell started to ooze out at the dish heated, melted cheese and a slightly spicy tomato sauce mingled in the air.

It made his stomach growl, and brought a smile to his face. He still had it. He instructed the TARDIS to un- time lock the room, and knew that the smell would find its way to the others.

Sure enough, the three of them piled in shortly. Hair still wet, carrying the faint smell of soaps and shampoos. Jack tried to peek in the oven and he slapped his hand away and sent him to the table to join the girls.

"That does smell wonderful, Doctor," Rose said, in a very sweet voice.

"Told you," the Doctor said.

When his mental timer beeped he reached in the oven with mitts on, and pulled it out. The slight smell increased and he carried it to the table.

Ara was looking at it carefully, clearly unsure of what it was.

"It's lasagna," the Doctor said. "Pasta, and meat and tomatoes and cheese."

"I don't think I have ever smelled anything so wonderful," Ara said, and her stomach growled loudly.

Everyone laughed, and shortly they were all eating. It was even better than he last remembered it, and it wasn't just him that thought so. The warm food filled his belly, and he felt himself leaning back and watching the others.

He was lost in the haze of good food, and a better environment. Lost in light conversation and the scraping of fork on plate, and he felt better than he had in so long. Ara looked up at him, and gave him a small smile.

It was funny how you could set out to do something for someone else, and end up improving yourself along the way.

Peace reigned around them, his eye lids were heavy. In short, he was happy.


	10. Chapter 10

Ara sat up on her bed…well her temporary bed. She was propped up on pillows, more than she could have ever dreamed of and had on clothes that were meant just for night. This bed was the most comfortable thing she had ever sat on, and this might have been the best day of her life. The only thing missing was Tave, but that was a missing piece she was going to have to learn to live with. There was no getting him back, just like the Doctor couldn't replace the ones he lost.

Even if they were in a time machine. He hadn't shared that bit with her, not on purpose, but she had seen. He needn't worry; she knew that they couldn't go back and save Tave. Sometimes in life, people were lost and you missed them like the earth misses the rain, but they were still going to be gone.

She still wished he could have seen this TARDIS, wished he could have swam in the pool. She wished, and even pretended, that he had shared that meal with them. The best food she had ever tasted followed by something called ice cream. Her hand was laid out on the bed beside her, as she had often done at night when she had felt too far from him. In those cases he would take hers into his, and whisper the night away, if it was safe to do so.

Right now though, and forever, she was never going to have it taken by him again. Would there be someone else some day? She couldn't say, but supposed it depended on what happened to her world. She was fighting sleep, too afraid she was already dreaming and if she closed her eyes she would wake up. The food was the right kind of heavy in her stomach, and her eyelids were drooping more and more.

She leaned back…she would just close them for a second. Then she would get up and walk around. Anything not to wake back up in the middle of a war…then again, if Tave was back, it was worth it.

She felt a hand slip into hers, and her fingers curled around it on reflex. She smiled in her sleep.

"_Ara," Tave's voice melted over her. "Wake up, Ara."_

_She opened her eyes slowly, finding herself on her home planet. But it was quiet, so quiet, the two moons hanging beautifully in the air above them. She looked over at her best friend, the only man she had ever loved. He smiled that easy smile, which like him had always defied the horror of this life, of this world. His light eyes reflected the moons back out at her, and he held her hand tight. _

"_Tave," she whispered, barely daring to breathe._

_He reached out with his free hand and touched her face. She could feel it, but she also knew that this was still a dream. She was no closer to him then she had been before she had fallen asleep. But here he was, and if she had her choice she would never wake. Not if it meant she and him could have forever._

"_My Ara," he whispered back. He smiled wide and leaned forward touching his lips to hers. _

_It was brief, but it was as real as the bed beneath her sleeping body. She couldn't explain it, but it was warm and full of what could have been. When he pulled back there were tears in his eyes, and he wiped them away. The whole time he kept his one hand wrapped around hers, and if that was what was holding them in this special place._

_She opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her. What could she say? Sorry I killed you…I love you…you were always the best thing that had ever happened to me._

"_Lay down," he instructed, doing so himself. _

_She lay beside him, and for a long while they just stared up at the sky. It was a sky she had looked at often, while they planned the great adventures they would have if they ever escaped. Was this Tave really just in her mind? And if he wasn't, did he know he was dead._

"_Yes," he said, from her side. "I know I'm dead…it's not so bad."_

_She rolled her head to look at him._

"_How are you here, Tave?"_

_He looked over at her and said, "I should have kissed you a million times, Ara. I should have told you how much I loved you, how much I will always love you. I thought we had time, thought we would always have time."_

_It was a stupid idea, they both faced death everyday on this old planet. But she understood and it was the same reason she had never told him. Not because she really believed they had the luxury of time, but because if she had…he would have had to go on with the knowledge that he was loved if she was gone. They both knew it, she had never doubted what he felt for her, but words were powerful things._

"_Can I stay?" Ara asked him softly._

_He let out one of his softest laughs, and she knew that she would rather not exist in a place where she wasn't allowed to hear that._

"_Ara," he said, rolling his head to look at the stars again. "If you could see what I can see…all the good that you have coming…you wouldn't want to stay here with me. At least not yet."_

"_What's left out there for me, Tave? All there is war, and trying to learn to live without you."_

_He moved closer to her, and looked her right in her eyes. "You are making new friends, and you have a trip to the Galactic Council to make. Soon there will be more than war in your world. Even new love, and when it comes, don't waste time worrying about what I would want. I want you happy. It's the thing I have always wanted."_

"_I'm scared," Ara whispered._

"_But you have never let that stop you before," Tave whispered, rolling onto his side. "And I know you won't now. I love you Ara, and I'm never any farther away than your memories."_

_She nodded, rolling to look at him. "I'll miss you forever."_

_He kissed her lips again, letting it linger for a moment. Then he smiled that smile that said it was over and released her hand._

She sat straight up in bed and wiped the tears from her face. She would make Tave proud; she was going to ask to go to the Galactic Council.


	11. Chapter 11

Small strong hands were shaking him, pulling him from a dream that while it wasn't peaceful, it wasn't a nightmare. He knew it was Ara, knew it before he opened his eyes. He could feel her mind touching his, no falling, but a distinct impression. Almost like a cat rubbing against someone's legs.

When that happened, when she was close enough, that blinding loneliness that made up his mind eased some. The feeling was additive and he didn't know how he was ever going to let her go.

He pulled his eyes open; surprised that she would have taken the chance in waking him. She should know that sometimes old soldier could be dangerous when pulled from sleep. Maybe she had a good enough read on his mind to know that he wasn't in the throes of another nightmare.

She was looking at him, the dim light of the room reflecting beautifully in her dark eyes. He sat up the second he realized she had been crying, but she gave him a smile. It was small but it was real and it helped to settle the worry.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want to go to the Galactic Council please," she said, pulling nervously on the hem of her shirt.

He sighed. He had every intention of taking her; he just hadn't expected it to be so soon. They were going to be a tough crowd and he had wanted to give her more time before she had to face them. They were likely to be insensitive and go so far as to place blame of the war on her.

Still they were the ones with the power to intervene, and it was going to have to happen sooner or later. If she wanted this now, the least he could do was go with her. He would stand up for her, wouldn't let them push her around.

He patted his bed, and she sat on the edge. She was rigid; fear was evident if you knew what to look for. It was written across her face, she couldn't let her guard down. Not here, maybe not ever. He moved closer to her slowly, and she didn't object.

"Are you sure?" he asked gently.

She looked over at him, and he saw a determination in her eyes. He admired her resolve, and let it become his as well. They weren't going to fail, it simply wasn't an option.

"Tave told me it was time," she said softly.

"Tave?"

She swallowed hard and looked away.

"In my dream…he was there."

"Let me see what you saw?"

She leaned away for a moment, and he was certain that she was going to say no. He wouldn't push, but there was a good chance that this wasn't just a dream. The TARDIS could enter the mind, especially with someone as psychic as Ara. He wouldn't know if he didn't look though.

"Okay," she finally agreed and leaned back in.

He didn't even have to touch her temples, just a finger on her hand and he was there. He tried not to linger, it wasn't his business but he knew that it was in fact more than a dream. He moved his hand back.

"We'll go in the morning," he told her.

She nodded and left.

They had been here for hours, they Council was in deliberation. Ara was sitting in a chair, looking at a magazine. She wasn't reading, she hadn't moved her eyes or flipped a page since she picked it up. Rose and Jack had gone to explore the space station, but he refused to leave her alone.

She had been fantastic. Patient and explaining over and over. She hadn't lost her temper, though he had raged inside when they asked her why they should care. She had told them about what their galaxy offered and he thought that maybe they had really listened in that moment.

Ara had talked and talked and now she was lost in thought. He had sat and stood and paced. He couldn't seem to calm down. She sighed and he looked over. He had taken the magazine as a request not to talk to her, but now she placed it to the side.

He took the seat beside her.

"You alright?"

She nodded, and bit her lip in that distracting way she had. He swallowed hard and looked away. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about anything but the fate of this galaxy.

"Yeah," she finally said. "What if they say no?"

"They won't," he vowed.

He begged the universe that they wouldn't. They weren't likely to listen to any more argument that came from him or Ara. They had already given them longer than they would most people, and the Doctor refused to take that as anything but a good sign.

He was about to tell her so when the door was opened. They were summoned back inside for the decision. Well Ara was…he just came. The guard at the door started to stop him, but one look filled with anger and he was let through.

She stood there before them. They had seats raised high above the platform. She stood there alone, by request, but he wasn't more than a few steps away. She looked tiny there, like a single star in the universe. That's probably how she felt right now. He'd give anything to make that feeling go away.

"We have reached a decision," the head of the council said.

She looked up at them, from her place below. They made sure anyone who entered this room knew that they were thought to be below. Well as far as he was concerned, Ara was soaring way above them. They were the small ones in this room.

They were the ones that lived a life of luxury while babies died in a war that was within their power to help. They were the ones that were looking down on one young girl who had grown up in a world that didn't conceive peace. Yet here she was, fighting for people who didn't even know her name.

If anyone was tiny, it wasn't her.

"We will intervene, we will stop the war."

He heard Ara inhale, and she fell hard to her knees on the wooden platform. They simply stood and walked out, but the Doctor rushed to her. Her head was hanging, but he could feel her relief from the moment he got close enough.

He reached down and pulled her to her feet and held her in a tight hug.

"You did it," he whispered. "Well done, Ara. Tave would be so proud."

It was at his name that she started to cry. He simply held her, in the middle of the dim room. There was no one around; they were done for the day. He held her until she stopped crying, until she pulled away. He looked at her, wiped the tear trails from her cheeks. He wanted to kiss her, wanted it so much. But he didn't.

He loved Rose, and he wasn't the fickle sort.

He took her hand. He had something he wanted to show her.


	12. Chapter 12

She was standing next to him; neither had spoken since they stepped out of the TARDIS and stood under the two moons. He had to bring her here, to show her what she had fought past to help create. Peace.

He had left Rose and Jack in the TARDIS; they had both fallen asleep quickly. Him being alone out here with here had nothing to do with the confusing feeling he was wrestling…at least that was what he was telling himself. He didn't want this to be about questions, or anything other than what he hoped she was able to see.

He wanted her to see something that he was just learning. He wanted to show her there was life after destruction, that where war had reigned before peace was still possible. So he had taken her to her home planet, ten years after the peace treaties were signed.

It was so quiet, in a way that had nothing to do with them. The Doctor could see it written across Ara's face. There was no gun fire; no weeping that must have been a common occurrence in the world she had called home.

But she had dared to dream of more; dared to find out if there could be something better than that. And like it usually is, it's the dreamer that brings the change.

They stood side by side on that planet. Both broken, both lost, but not alone. He longed for her to say something, though he wasn't sure what. He wasn't looking for a thanks, that wasn't what this was about. He just needed her to speak, to break the trance he found himself in.

He looked at her, moonlight wrapped around her like a blanket, and his breath fought to quicken or stop entirely. She was so broken, but oh so beautiful. And he thought he might have accidentally fallen in love. No, he didn't think, he knew it to be true.

He wanted to kiss her, wanted to confess his love. His hearts thumped wildly inside his chest, and it took all his self restraint to hold him there. He thought of Rose, how she had come into his life and gave it meaning again. How she smiled and it made him feel almost normal.

But Rose he was sure to break, shatter with his broken soul. Could he be any worse for Ara? Or would she be better for him?

"How many years has it been?" she finally asked, her voice sliding over him like a slow stream of water.

He swallowed away the feelings, he was very good at it, and looked at her again. She was looking at him, waiting on him to answer. Waiting on him, but was she wanting something more than an answer?

"A little over ten years," he said softly.

She gave a quick nod, but didn't follow with any more questions. She sat then, and he fiddled with his hands, unsure if he should leave her out here or if he should sit too. He sat, not too close, because truthfully he wasn't sure she would stay here if he left her to it. He was scared of losing her, scared that the woman he was rapidly falling for would simply walk away.

He didn't even have any idea if she saw him as anything more than a friend. He was almost positive that Rose did, that she would be receptive of any advance he tried to make. But he wondered, even if he didn't ever really plan to find out, what Ara would do.

He knew she had lost Tave, that her heart had beat for him. He understood, deeply, a loss like that. Even if he chose to look at time line in which they were something more than this, he wouldn't even try for a long while. She needed the time to heal, in so many ways.

He watched her, saw her shiver slightly in the cool air. His leather jacket, his armor, was off and around her shoulders before he knew what he was doing. She grabbed the end and pulled it tighter around her slim body, before saying a soft 'thanks'.

If she would have looked at him at that point, he might have done something very stupid. But her eyes were steadily staring into the distance. What she was seeing in her mind, he need only touch her skin to see. The temptation was there, if for no other reason to fill the overbearing silence. But he kept his hands at his side; kept looking trying to imagine what she was.

He found himself imaging Gallifrey, what would it have been like to sit on an empty field with red grass and gaze out after the war. It brought tears to his eyes, but they didn't fall down his cheeks. Every day was a little better. He didn't know how long he it would take him to say the name aloud, how long before he could share it of his own accord…but he thought it was coming.

He wondered if it would feel like freedom, or would that freedom become its own sort of prison. It was too soon to tell, but he longed for it to be real. For the memories to sting less and less, for him to be able to remember the things he loved the most about Galliifrey.

Maybe someday he would know what this felt like for Ara.

He looked over at her, expecting her gaze to still be captured. But she was looking at him, her dark eyes reflecting those moons. He was helpless, he wanted so much to kiss her right then it burned him up inside. He swallowed the lump away from his throat and leaned in slowly.

Her heart beat faster, her breath came at a new pace, but she didn't move away. He was so close to her, he gently lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. He was an idiot, the biggest he knew. But he leaned in to kiss her, lips touching her gently.


	13. Chapter 13

They both pulled back at once. He didn't think he could even begin to describe the feeling. It was intense, but he didn't know if it was the kind of intense some people would describe desire as…

He looked her in the eye, and she was studying him.

She yawned- he was fairly sure it wasn't real- and stood up.

"I'm going to head to bed," she said softly.

With that she walked away, and he watched her go. Words were there, he could ask her not to. He could even tell her he loved her, but he didn't.

Why hadn't she said something? Was she angry that he had done it? He turned back to the empty field, but he could hear the click of the TARDIS door behind him. It might as well have been an impenetrable fort for how he felt at the moment.

He wrestled with guilt over kissing her as well. Thought of Rose, is Rose, and wondered what this meant for him. They had no claim on each other, not really. But he thought they both made one all the same.

He lay back, staring up at the moons. He let his mind name constellations, anything to fight back the ache that filled his stomach. This was why he had never gone any farther with Rose…the what if. What if he was wrong and Rose didn't seem him like that? What if he admitted that he felt something more and ended up losing her?

And now he was scared of losing Ara. He didn't want to do that either. In such a short amount of time she had worked her way into his hearts. He loved the way she smiled, the way she could understand him like no one else could.

He loved her, and he loved Rose, and he had no idea what to do with the all the love.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He was in no rush to get back to the TARDIS, scared that if he stepped back through those doors things were going to crash back down on him.

If Ara asked to leave, all because of that kiss, he thought his hearts might shatter. He hadn't even realized until this moment, how hard he had fallen for her.

"Doctor?" Rose's voice fell over him. It was soft and sleepy, and he smiled to himself.

He wondered if he was obligated to tell her about the kiss, but by the time he opened his eyes and sat up, he had decided not to. She was in her pajamas, one of his favorite pairs. Her hair was slightly messy, and it gave her a sexy innocent look.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice coming out soft but strong.

"Had a nightmare," she said, at the level of an almost whisper.

He opened his arms at once, and she was in them before he could blink. He held her closer and neither of them spoke for a long while.

"Where are we?" she finally asked.

He had thought she was almost asleep again, and was surprised to hear her voice.

"This is Ara's planet, after the war is over," the Doctor told her.

Rose looked around, up at the two moons, down at the blue grass.

"It's pretty," she said softly.

He smiled at her. His Rose, always seeking the beauty. It truly was though, they had rebuilt, and the silence was comfortable. The kind of silence that indicated happiness and it hung all around them.

She yawned wide and he used his thumb to stoke her cheek. He almost kissed her, but he thought it might be impolite to kiss two different women on the same night. Not that he had never been impolite before, but he was trying to improve.

"You should get back to bed," he said softly. "I'll check on you later."

She nodded, but didn't move right away.

"Is Ara going to stay?" she asked.

He was trying to decide if he caught jealously or curiosity when she added, "I like her, and I'm just wondering."

"I don't know, Rose," he said. "She's welcome, but she might want to go home…or even somewhere else."

Rose nodded and climbed to her feet. She smiled a small smile, and walked back to the TARDIS. He watched her the whole way. He hadn't asked what her nightmare was about, had long since learned that she didn't like to say.

He didn't know if they were all things she had seen since she started traveling with him, and she was afraid to add to his mountain of guilt, or if it was some other reason.

He sighed and sat there for a moment longer. Thinking about life and love and how far he had come in this amount of time. He couldn't deny that he still had a long way to go, probably farther than even he knew, but at least he was moving.

After the Time War, he didn't think such a thing was even possible. Rose had proven him wrong, and she was still doing it. Taking something that was broken, and putting the pieces back together.

He climbed to his feet, and took on last long look around. He smiled to himself, even if he hadn't been the one of the front line, it felt good to help create peace. A lot of times, he wasn't that lucky.

He walked inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind him softly. The console room was empty and quiet, and he didn't want to linger in it in that moment. Instead he went and checked on Rose.

She was asleep again already, hair fanned around her. She had a faint smile to her lips, and he took that as a good sign that she her dreams were more pleasant now.

He moved on, peeking into Ara's room, hoping that she was asleep. Her bed was empty though, and he decided it was best to find her. He checked all over, but she was nowhere to be found.

Finally he saw her sitting at the kitchen table. She wasn't eating, or drinking, simply sitting there. She barely looked up when he came in, but he thought he saw tears in her eyes.

"Ara?" he whispered.

"I think I should go home."


	14. Chapter 14

He didn't know what to say, looking at Ara. She looked right back, one so used to facing things that made her uncomfortable. He wondered for a brief moment if it had been the kiss itself that had been so bad it was chasing her away. He might have been a 900 year old Time Lord but he was still a man.

When pride faded, it left other, much more likely reasons in a wake. She wasn't ready to be kissed, they both knew it. He hadn't meant to put that kind of pressure on her, he really hadn't. He had always had an impulsive streak and it had often left him full of regret. But what he felt right now…it wasn't regret exactly.

She might also not see him as anything more than a friend, and he knew as well as anyone that the heart loves who it will. And no amount of wishing could change that. Maybe he should let her go, let her find her own path in this universe.

He knew that was the last thing he wanted though. He would much rather have her in his life, rather he learn to be her friend only, then watch her walk out that door. She was different; she was like him, only much less jagged. She was where his healing seemed to take root and he couldn't bear to lose that.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "It won't happen again."

An odd look passed over her face. It disappeared too quickly for him to be certain, but he thought it might have been traced with disappointment.

"You don't need to be sorry," she said softly.

He sat at the table, unsure of what more he could say. He wished he had all the right words, wishing that more and more since he had met her. What could he say to make her stay?

Rose liked her; she had fallen into an easy rhythm with them all. You didn't always get that when you tried to get several people on the TARDIS, especially when some had already been there for a while. That hadn't been a problem with this group, and he rather liked having the extra company.

"Please stay," the Doctor asked. "We like having you."

He didn't say I like having you, he assumed the kiss was enough that she already that he liked having her around. The last thing he wanted to do right now was give her any reason to want to go.

She looked down, staring into her cup as if it had all the answers. For Ara's sake, the Doctor found himself wishing that it really did. He could really use a cup like that right about now.

"Good morning," Jack said, walking in, bright as he usually was.

They both looked at him at once, and for the shock he saw cover Ara's face you would have thought what they had been doing was a lot worse than just talking. It wasn't until Jack spoke that he realized that perhaps he was wearing the same expression.

"Am I interrupting something," Jack asked, heading for the coffee maker.

"No," the Doctor said quickly.

He gave a look at Ara, who was still looking at Jack. He could almost see something there. Affection? He might be wrong; he did lean toward jealously more often than not. He stood quickly and did what he was good at. He ran.

DW

Jack looked Ara over. He wasn't sure, but he thought she had shed some tears sometime recently. If the Doctor had hurt her, he thought he might lose it. He liked Ara, and as far as he could tell, she hadn't been set off limits by the Doctor.

If he had gone after Rose, he thought the Doctor might accidently find a planet and lose him there. Ara though, she was available. Maybe not ready, but he thought he might like to wait.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, soflty.

"The Doctor…he kissed me Jack," she said, looking away.

Oh. He wasn't sure what emotion that filled him to deal with first. So he thought the best course of action was to find out how Ara felt the kiss. He strongly suspected her anger would become his, so he sort of hoped she wasn't all that upset.

"Alright," he said, going to sit across from her. "And how do you feel about that?"

She looked him right in the eye, but didn't say anything for a long moment. His heart thudded inside his chest. He knew that the Doctor wouldn't have forced her to do anything, so he could explain the fire that was burning through his while he waited on her answer.

"Confused," she finally admitted. "I like the Doctor well enough, but I just…"

He watched her.

"Not ready?" he asked kindly.

"No," she agreed. "But it's more than that. I though…he was with Rose."

Jack had to fight back a laugh, not because he wasn't taking Ara's concerns seriously. It was more because he suspected that the Doctor thought his attraction to Rose was kept hidden.

"They are…complicated," Jack said finally.

She sighed, and he wished he could say something to make her understand. Although, he thought maybe she did, perhaps too well.

"Let's go to the library," he suggested.

He had only found that the library on the TARDIS had comforted him when his soul was at its most troubled. She stood when he did, still a soldier despite the location.

He took her hand, gently, making sure to keep his grip loose. Jack led her to the library in silence, enjoying the feeling of her warm hand in his. She was always quiet, even when she seemed at her most relaxed.

Not he could feel the tension pouring from her.

"You asked to go home, didn't you?" he said as he opened the library door.

"Yes," she agreed softly, going inside and sitting in a chair near the fire.

He took another chair, staring at the fire for a while.

"Do you still want to go?" he asked, his voice catching.

She looked over at him and shrugged.

"I don't know," she admitted.

It was then that the TARDIS shuddered around them, shaking everything from the books to them. Ara looked at him with wide eyes, and he was on his feet at once.


	15. Chapter 15

Jack ran from the room, and Ara followed. She was already wrestling with feelings, feelings about the Doctor, about Jack, guilt over feeling anything at all in the absence of Tave. She didn't even know if she was going to stay on the TARDIS or if she was going to try to go home and help the world she hated rebuild.

Now this, the TARDIS acting up. She followed his footsteps, hers so silent he looked back to see if she was there. She was still a soldier, obedient and silent, perfect for a war. She didn't know if she would ever be perfect for anything else again. Probably not.

In the console room, the Doctor and Rose were standing side by side, looking at a screen on the console. The way the Doctor looked at her when he walked in the room, suggested that this was in some way something she wasn't going to enjoy.

"We are back on Halfway," he said softly. "Something pulled us here, and I have a feeling it has something to do with our little rescue earlier."

Ara sat on the jump seat, she wasn't exactly so comfortable in the TARDIS that she meant to sit down, and it was more that she half collapsed. The Doctor looked like he wanted to move to her, but he held his place at Rose's side. Ara knew that it was for the best, and Jack sat beside her at once. Jack was different the Doctor, dealt with his past in a different way. Ara thought Jack might be easier to lean on, if not who she ultimately needed to heal.

"So what do we do?" Rose asked.

"I'm going to go on out," the Doctor said.

Ara thought that Rose might have missed the important part of that sentence. The part that he didn't say, the part that hung heavy in the air around them. The Doctor thought that he was going to go out there alone, that he was going to leave him in there to protect them.

Ara wasn't a coward; she had never been a coward. Even when she was at her most scared, she wasn't going to run. If they were here, if this was going to be trouble, then she was used to being on the front line.

"Alright, let me change my shoes really fast," Rose said, already heading for the bedroom.

The Doctor let her go, before he started to head for the doors.

"You are just going to leave her, not even explain why?" Ara asked.

The words surprised her…not that she didn't have a rebellious heart, that much had always been known. She wasn't afraid of the Doctor, even though she knew what he was capable of doing. She just hadn't planned on saying the words aloud.

The Doctor looked at her for a long moment, and then he did something that surprised her. He stopped, and leaned against the railing.

"Alright," he said, softly. "All together."

He didn't say another word, didn't even really look at her, but she didn't think it was out of anger. He was the type of man who was used to taking on the world, but feeling like had to do it alone.

Jack took Ara's hand, and she let him. She looked at him, and he gave her a tight smile. He was nervous too; nervous about what was going to come when they stepped out those doors.

Ara had seen darkness, so many shades of it that it would make her head spin if she lingered on it for too long. She didn't know what they were going to face, but if something had called them back here, if it had been an act of someone on the planet, she doubted it was going to be anything that she really wanted to see.

She thought of her vow to never pick up a weapon and wondered if that was vow that she could really keep. She wanted it to be that way, but looking between the Doctor and Jack, and thinking of Rose she thought of the things she might be willing to do to protect them.

They were all she had now, and she really liked each of them. She liked the TARDIS, and she realized in that moment she didn't really want to go. She felt half normal for the first time since she could remember.

Rose came back in, and looked them all. She headed for the door, walking right up to the Doctor. She had to be able to feel the tension that filled the room. It was so thick Ara could imagine it pouring out like captured water when the TARDIS doors opened up.

The Doctor took her hand, though Ara was certain he would rather run out that door without them all. But he also seemed to be a man of his word, and when he opened those doors Ara knew that they were all going together, come what may.

A family of sorts, and Ara knew that she would protect them, and had no doubt that they would do the same.

The Doctor and Rose stepped out first, him releasing her hand only long enough to get out easily. When he captured it again his grip had to be close to too tight. Jack took her hand again and they all walked.

Ara looked around carefully, aware of her every surrounding. This was all natural to her. It was a new planet, but being cautious was the same on any planet.

She was aware, which was what made what happened next and even bigger surprise. She was yanked from behind, Jack's hand wrenched away from her. Her eyes were covered and she was lifted into arms as if she were a small child.

She couldn't see anything, couldn't move for the grip that had her, but they didn't stop her from hearing. She heard shuffling, and knew that someone threw a punch. She thought it was Jack, judging but the rustling of his clothes. The punch landed, but soon she was too far away to know if he had gotten any farther than that.

They went down stairs, but these halls, though cool, lacked the mechanical sound the other halls had. That suggested they weren't in the same place that they were before.

She was thrown, actually thrown into a room. She hit the wall, but she was prepared and adjusted her body to keep the injuries to a minimum. She heard another thump beside her, not of someone being thrown but rather someone being dropped.

Her hands went up to her head and tried to remove whatever was blocking her vision. She found nothing though, touching her bare eyelids. She opened them, felt them open beneath her fingertips, but the world remained black.

She swallowed hard, not letting the panic rise up like it wanted. Instead she dropped her hands, moved to a position where she could crawl, and headed towards the area she had heard the thud.


	16. Chapter 16

Ara crawled over, feeling for a body, for something to let her know that she was going in the right direction. When her hand finally left the cold, hard, floor she felt a boot. She trailed her hand up the long leg, thinking that this was the Doctor, but not yet certain. Her fingertips just touched the edges of the leather jacket when the Doctor groaned.

She quickly retracted her hand, holding it to her chest, and rocked back on her heels. The floor was hard against her tender knees. She was certain that she was facing him; she wasn't sure however what kind of shape he was in. Was he blinded as well, and what would happen if neither of them could see?

How were they going to make it out of here, both newly blinded?

She heard another low groan, and some words in another language that she was fairly certain weren't socially acceptable. She heard a shuffle and then rapid movement. She felt large, strong hands, gently grip her shoulders and she hissed in pain when it enclosed on the one that had taken the most direct hit. He dropped that hand at once, but left the other there.

"Ara?" his voice was gruff. He sounded drugged, and he cleared his throat several times before talking again. "Are you okay?"

"I…I think so," she agreed.

Her shoulder burned like fire, especially since he had touched it, and she couldn't see a thing. But all things considered she didn't figure she was doing too badly.

She was alive, and the Doctor was alive, and that was something.

She felt his cold hand gently take her chin and turn her face a little. She wasn't sure if her attempted gaze was off or if he was simple looking her over. She was reassured by his swift certain movements though, because it suggested that he could see even if she couldn't.

"Ara," the Doctor said. "Can you see anything?"

She swallowed hard. She was only going to slow him down if he had an escape plan. The people on her planet would have left behind if this had happened there, and she couldn't help how fearful she became. But it was no use in lying; she wasn't going to make it too far, at least not quickly, without help.

"No," she admitted. "I...I can't see."

She heard something click and fingers tilting her face. There was another click, and she wondered if he had been shining a light into her eyes, but if he had there was no evidence in the change in her vision.

"Your pupils react," the Doctor said. "That's a good sign. I think they injected us with something… "His fingers trailed down her neck to a tender spot that was small enough to be an injection sight. "I'm thinking you are just having a reaction to it and it's temporary."

There was no addition to that sentence, no 'I hope', but she heard it all the same. It grabbed her, and made her heart beat against her chest in a way that made her sway with dizziness. He grabbed her and she found herself resting against his chest. He had moved mostly behind her, and his fingers played with her tangled hair gently.

They didn't speak for a long time, and she tried to concentrate on the sound around her. She tried hard to ignore the fact that he was holding her, and she didn't want to run. She knew that he was doing it for protection, to keep an eye on her, but for just a moment, she could pretend it was something different. For a long moment, she imagined it was Tave, and she could almost feel his discomfort at the thought.

"I'll get us out of here," he vowed, softly.

She wasn't sure if he was promising himself or her, so she chose not to answer. She lay there with her eyes closed. The darkness was absolute either way. He kept gently stroking her hair away from her face, letting her rest in the quiet. She could feel his hearts behind her back, beating quickly, but not so fast it made her worry.

"Don't leave me behind," she finally said.

She hated how her voice broke, how scared and young she sounded. It reminded her of the day that she first met Tave. She had been five, and she didn't fit in. That was the story of her life, but as that little girl she hadn't know that yet.

She had been pushed around, sitting in a mud puddle crying. Tave had come up to her after her tormenters had disappeared. He had sat right there beside her, and taken her hand into his. She couldn't imagine why this boy would come join her.

But she looked into his eyes, and saw that he was destined to be an outcast too. But they were so light, and if it were possible for a five year old to fall in love, Ara fell in love with Tave right then.

"Friends?" she had asked in the same broken voice.

He had smiled, so real and kind. He had agreed and he hadn't left her behind then, or ever. At least not until that stupid crash.

"Never," the Doctor vowed, bringing her back to the present. "Never."

Her head ached, and she closed her eyes tighter. She tried to force the tears back away. She was used to burying feelings, used to hiding who and what she was. She didn't want to be scared, didn't want to need anyone. She was starting to learn though, that everyone needed someone. And that everyone needed to know that they wouldn't be left behind. Even if they couldn't admit it.

"I won't leave you behind either," she told the Doctor.

It was silly; there was no way she could even do it in this state. But that wasn't exactly what she meant. She meant that they were in this together. And even if he loved Rose, even if he was with Rose, she was still there to help him heal.

He didn't respond at first, and then she felt a warm drop of water hit her forehead, and it occurred to her that they were tears. She kept her eyes closed, didn't comment at all. All she did was reach down and take his free hand and squeeze it gently. He squeezed back and they sat in the silence.

She didn't know what was going to happen, she didn't have a plan, and she couldn't say they were going to make it out alive. But they were going to try to find Rose and Jack; they were going to try to escape.

She couldn't say if it was going to work, but she was Ara Lane, and she was born to try. She wasn't going to stop trying now.


	17. Chapter 17

Her head was still on his chest; his fingers were still carefully brushing hair away from her face. They had been quiet for quite a while now, and he tried to keep himself focused. There had been a moment of panic about half an hour ago when her temperature had begun to rise, but it had stopped fairly quickly. Now she was just warm enough she was bound to be uncomfortable.

But she didn't complain, and he didn't have to take a trek around her mind to know that she found complaining to be pointless. She didn't expect anyone to listen, and she probably never would. He also knew that she had had it way worse than this before, and she was strong and steady.

It was one of the man things he liked so much about her.

They had been in this cell for an hour exactly. He had been waiting, trying to buy them time for her eye sight to come back. She was still blind though, and he was growing more worried with every minute that this might be permanent.

Rose and Jack were out there somewhere, and he feared that maybe this was a human reaction instead of a personal allergy. It was possible that Rose and Jack were in the same situation and he longed to find them and get them safe again.

They were going to have to move, whether Ara could see or not. It was going to be slower if she couldn't, and he knew that she would argue that he should leave her there. It made sense, at least in the mind of a soldier. One for the greater good, but he wasn't that kind of person. Each person mattered in his eyes, and well…obviously he felt even more for Ara.

"We need to try to move," he told her softly.

She sat up, turning to face him. Her dark beautiful eyes were empty, but he swallowed hard and pushed himself past how much that hurt him to see.

"I know," she agreed. She drew in a long breath, and he knew what she was going to say.

"Together," he said, firmly.

There was no room for argument, he was already moving, hands around her waist. He pulled her up as he stood, putting her on her feet. She kept her injured arm near her side as a reflex, but she simply nodded.

"Together," she said.

He took her hand, the one that wouldn't hurt her, and headed towards the sliding door. They hadn't taken his sonic, and he pulled it out and pointed at a small box at near the door. It made a soft noise of protest before the door slid open. Fresh cool air dumped into the room, and he felt the shiver that ran through Ara.

He took of his coat and carefully put it on her. It was too large, but it should help keep her warm in the cooler hall ways. He looked out both ways, carefully took a step out into the hall. It was empty; as it had been the first time he had been around this place.

He led Ara out, took a left, and hoped for the best.

DW

Rose shook Jack again, getting more frantic with every passing moment. He had a large bruise under his hair line, and he had been in and out of consciousness since she had woken up. He kept mumbling, and she was worried he might have more damage then she could see.

But she had already searched the room for a way out. And while there was a little box by the door, she had no idea how to make it work. She had pressed some buttons, and then the screen had gone black.

So now she was back at Jack's side.

She didn't like waiting on a rescue, or even worse, for whoever had done this to come back. But she was kind of stuck. She was worried about Ara, worried about the Doctor. At least Jack she could see, even if she couldn't seem to reach him through the fog in his brain. Not being able to see the other two left her mind with only possibilities.

They could be anywhere, though she imagined they were near, and they could be in any state. What if they were dead…no, she wouldn't let herself think about such a thing.

They were family, even Ara, who she hadn't know all that long. The broken girl was easy to care about, and Rose wanted her to be safe just as much as she longed for the Doctor to be.

"Ara," Jack groaned.

Rose looked down at him, surprised to hear that was the first coherent word on his lips. She wanted to not be jealous, but she was a little. She knew that Jack was a big flirt, and he had certainly been looking at Ara, but still…

But this wasn't the time for that, and she carefully touched his cheek.

"Jack," she said. "Come on, come back to me."

"Rose?" he asked.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It's me…I've been so scared."

He opened first one eye, so it looked like a reverse wink, and then the other. His eyes were clear, and he blinked back the harsh lights for a moment.

Sitting up with a groan, he looked Rose over.

"How long was I out?" he asked, fingers touching the tender spot on his skull.

"I'm not sure…a while," she said, pushing his hand down gently.

"I had the strangest dream," he said, then ran his hands down his arms. "Are you hurt?"

"My leg is a little sore," she admitted, "but I'm not really hurt."

He was moving at once. He made her sit all the way, and looked over her sore ankle and shin. She looked down at his warm fingers touching her bruised skin. He was gentle, and apologized when she hissed in pain.

"I think it's just a bad bruise," he finally declared, but his fingers stayed on her skin.

He looked up into her eyes, the bruise creeping down his face, and blushing his jawbone. He must have taken quite a blow after he punched that guy. But he was here, and he was smiling, and she had to take that as a good sign. She had nothing else to work with and she felt tears sting her eyes.

"Hey now," he said softly, cupping her face. "We're going to get out of here, be back in the TARDIS before you know it."

His tone was reassuring, but there were tight lines around his eyes that made her know that he too was worried. They helped each other to their feet and she led him to the box near the door. He looked it over, and pretty soon he was pressing buttons on a once again lit screen.

She kept her fingers crossed, her heart thudding against her chest.

The door opened to them, and Jack stepped out first.

That's when the sound of an alarm blared through the halls.


	18. Chapter 18

Jack grabbed Rose and pulled her back, looking out around the corner as soon as the alarm ripped through the place. He saw no one coming, and he made the kind of decision that would either get them killed and or save them. But it was now or never, and he pulled her back out into the hall and went right.

She was used to close calls, and followed him silently, her hand in his. He needed to find the Doctor and Ara….who seemed to have a place in the front of his mind…but if they couldn't do that and escape he would get them out first. Then he would come back and get them. The Doctor would want Rose safe, and he took another left, hoping he was nearing a way to the surface.

While they were similar, these didn't seem to be the same halls he had traveled before when he had helped the Doctor find Rose before. He wished they had been in the same place, he could have found his way out of there quickly.

His head ached badly, and he was surprised that he was even functioning. The blow he had taken must have been harder than he realized, and as his stomach rolled in protest, he swallowed hard. The Doctor could heal him as soon as they got back on the TARDIS, but until then he was just going to have to concentrate on getting on foot in front of the other.

"Jack?" Rose asked softly.

He heard it too, the sound of footsteps coming closer. They weren't the Doctor's, and they definitely weren't Ara's light steps. His mind was buzzing, darkening around the edges. He fought it back. He couldn't lose consciousness now, he had to protect Rose.

He stumbled and Rose helped him steady.

He looked at her and said, "Rose, just run…keep running until you find a way out."

She looked at him, and for the briefest moment he thought she was going to listen. Then she shook her head firmly as the sight of men rushing towards them became blurry.

"Never leave you," she said firmly.

She was holding him up at this point, and if he could think he would have been impressed.

DW

The Doctor still had Ara's hand in his, but he was no closer to finding his way out. He was going as fast as he could, but Ara was only able to maintain a certain sped without her eye sight. He briefly wondered if he should have left her in the cell…not for good, just until he could come back.

But that would have been as good as abandoning her in Ara's mind, and he would never do that. He would never leave her behind, anymore then he could leave Rose or Jack.

He tugged her, a little harder and she stumbled. Resigning himself to the likely hood that they were going to get caught at any moment, he slowed his pace again. He wondered about Rose and Jack, if they were the ones that had set off the alarm. And if they were, he hoped that meant that they had already escaped.

If they were okay, he could be okay.

"I'm sorry," Ara said, as he began to hear the sound of footsteps.

"No," he said. "You are worth it."

He stood strong, tried to push her behind him but she was rushing towards the sound of feet.

When the first soldier came into view, she spun up a kick, and the soldier fell to the ground before he knew what hit him.

He didn't know how she managed to make contact without sight, but he would guess it had something to do with her training. It looked like they were going down fighting, and he rushed forward. He was against violence, but he could knock them out. He hit the first one he came to on a spot on his neck and he fell.

There were so many of them, but he kept working on it, fighting them back. Ara was still fighting, but when one of them laid a heavy blow on her injured shoulder she let out a low noise of pain. It was just enough to distract him, and when he turned two men grabbed him and shoved him into a wall.

DW

She heard the Doctor as he thumped into the wall, but her vision remained stubbornly gone. Feeling around her fingertips ran across the top of what she knew to be a weapon.

She had vowed, when they left home, that she would never pick one up again. That she would not take another life, because she had been forced to take too many. But this was the Doctor…this might be Rose and Jack too, and she pulled it from the soldiers side.

She couldn't see to point it anyone, and then suddenly….she could. She blinked, afraid she was going to slip back into darkness, but it didn't happen. She saw the Doctor's eyes flickering from her to the gun. She couldn't read his expression but it sure was good to see his face.

Swallowing hard, she adjusted the grip on the weapon. She had vowed never to hold one again…and while maybe she couldn't keep that vow…she didn't have to hurt anyone.

A simple slide of her fingers, and the gun was armed. Holding it up, she pointed it at the soldiers holding the Doctor.

"Let him go," she said her voice stronger than she felt at the moment.

"Ara," the Doctor cautioned.

She didn't know what he what he was asking of her…if it was to lay down the weapon, or help him get out of there, she couldn't say.

But she was here now, and her fingers felt the trigger of the gun.

"Let him go," she repeated.

They looked back at her, and she was certain that they could see how serious she was. She wasn't going to shoot them…but they didn't have to know that. She just needed them convinced.

"Let him go," another voice repeated.

It was a male's voice, and she managed to look at him without taking the Doctor and his captors out of her sight.

The soldiers obeyed at once, and the Doctor moved to her, taking the gun from her hands. She didn't fight him, didn't want to hold it anymore than he wanted her to do so.

"We clearly need to talk," the man said.

For some reason, Ara found his voice soothing. He had kind eyes, and reminded her of the stories people told of their world before the war. Back when families were a real thing, and people had grandparents.

He smiled kindly at her, and motioned for them to follow. The Doctor took Ara's hand into his, and led her.


	19. Chapter 19

This man, wherever he was from, it wasn't from this planet. He had light eyes, which seemed more kind than fit the scene they found themselves in. He wasn't sure if Ara had noticed that he didn't fit in with the planets inhabitants, or even how good her eye sight was at the moment. He was certain that she could see, she had looked right at him, and he had seen understanding in her eyes.

But he hadn't been able to talk to her, and he'd really like the chance to look her over, to make sure she was really recovering from the reaction. But looks could be deceiving, and he couldn't be certain this man was any kind of good. The Doctor had to keep his guard up, and he slipped in beside Ara. He held her hand, glad that the fever seemed to be less than it was before.

The man walked into an office, and he pressed some buttons on the wall and the Doctor felt heat pour down over them. Ara slipped out his jacket with his help, and he pulled it back on. It smelled like her, kind of warm and sweet. He swallowed hard. He was trying to focus on anything else.

"Sit," the man instructed, sitting down on the opposite side of a modest desk.

Ara sat, holding her arm to her chest. The Doctor knew that her shoulder must be killing her and he wondered if this man would allow him to do something to ease her pain.

"I'm sorry you were hurt," the man said. "I didn't know what they were doing."

The Doctor looked him up and down. There was plenty he wanted to ask. Who this man was, or why they had been brought back here. But finally he thought of what he wanted most to know.

"Where are my friends?" the Doctor asked.

Where was Rose? And Jack and were the safe, because that had been weighing heavily on him and he was desperate to hear that they were okay after all.

"They are fine," the man said. "The man…I believe I heard the name Jack took quite a blow, he is being helped, and they will be brought here."

"Who are you?" Ara asked?

The man's brow wrinkled, really looking Ara over. The Doctor watched him, prepared to step in if the look became anything but curious. But then the man blinked, and the Doctor wasn't certain but the thought he saw his eye mist up.

"You're hurt, little Ara," the man said, gently. "We can help you."

Ara looked bothered. "Don't call me that."

"Sorry…it's been so long since I saw you…you were…goodness, one maybe. But you look so much the same."

"You know Ara?" the Doctor asked shifting in his seat.

"I'm Adex," the man said, and the Doctor looked back and forth.

The man had the same nose, same kind of face. He looked older at first glance, but the Doctor thought he probably wasn't that much older than her.

"Adex?" she asked, looking him over, probably reaching the same conclusion.

"I'm your brother, Ara," Adex said.

DW

Jack awoke again, on his back, looking up at a bright ceiling. He blinked, and wiggled experimentally, surprised to find that he was free to move.

"Jack," Rose said, and he turned his head to look at her.

She looked well, sitting up in a chair, and wrapped in a blanket. He tried to sit up.

"Rose," he said, expecting to find himself hoarse, but honestly he felt quite good.

"Easy," Rose said, standing up. "They healed you, but you might be a little sore."

He rolled his shoulders and sit all the way up. He felt a slight discomfort, but he had had way worse in his life. No, he didn't feel bad at all. But he was confused, even though his head was clear. They had healed him? The last thing he had thought was that they were going to be injured at the very least. Dead at worst, but here he was, and here she was.

And if heaven existed, he did not think this was it. He loved Rose...but if there was something as perfect as heaven…his family would be there too. So what was going on had to be real, so he took in a deep breath and looked Rose in the eye.

"Explain," he said.

So she did, explaining how she had been certain that they were going to die. Then the soldiers stopped, and Rose realized they were getting new orders. They had dragged Jack here, and done something that Rose didn't understand to heal him.

"We are supposed to go see this man…Adex they called him. They said the others would be there," Rose said.

"Others?" Jack asked, pepping up.

That had to mean the Doctor and Ara, and he was excited to see them both again. He wanted to see that they were both okay, but he really wanted to see Ara. He missed her terribly, and he knew that what he had was more than just a little crush.

A man came in, looked at the both. Jack knew people pretty well, and he thought for sure that this man would rather be hitting them then playing nice, but whoever gave his orders had power. Jack wasn't sure if he should be worried or relieved, but he guessed if they were being led somewhere then he would be finding out real soon.

He took Rose's hand and walked behind the man, keeping a careful eye around them, making sure there were no surprise attacks. He wasn't sure he trusted them. He thought of how much it took make a person so hard they didn't dare believe something until there was enough proof.

He was there though, and he wasn't going to believe this was a rescue until he was back on the TARDIS, in the vortex, or some place far far away.

"What do you think?" Rose whispered, leaning in close to him.

"Keep your eyes open," he whispered back.

She nodded, and the man stopped in front of a door. He opened it up, and inside he could see a man, a man who looked a lot like Ara. Jack shuffled in, and the Doctor turned and pulled Rose into a tight hug. Ara smiled up at him, and he found her in his arms.

They were here, this was real. He still wasn't sure that everything was going to be okay, but for a moment it was. For a moment they were all here, and they were safe. He turned and hugged the Doctor, patting the older man on the back and spent a long moment being thankful. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he had feared the worst for them.

Then he heard a throat being cleared, and he felt like reality was crashing back down on him.


	20. Chapter 20

Ara looked of Adex as he spoke. He did look like her…she supposed… in some ways. His eyes were the same color, but a little lighter. His smile was the same, though he did it a lot more than she did. Of course….she had never known him, which meant if he really was her brother he had been gone from that hell a long time before she had escaped.

If he was… but she had no reason to doubt him. He knew her, he knew her parents name, but he was still such a stranger. She used to dream about having someone, a brother or sister, but as she grew she had learned that dreams often didn't come true. But here he was.

"So…if you are Ara's brother-"the Doctor started.

"Not if," Adex corrected. "I am Ara's brother."

"Alright…" the Doctor agreed, looking annoyed. "Why doesn't she know you?"

"Our parents," Adex said, "sent me off the planet when I was 10…Ara was so young then. They were going to send her in the next ship. Anyway…they wanted us to escape, to be free, but I landed here, was taken in by some allies, and Ara…I never saw her again.

"They died," Ara said softly. "I was taken to the training camp."

She felt a hand rub her back, but she didn't turn to see who it was. She remembered it, even being that young, and though it was foggy it started to clear, until she remembered the day she met Tave. She thought of that warm smile and wondered if she would have traded those awful times with that wonderful man for the feeling of having a family.

Adex was a stranger, but he had explained how he had been the only 'son' of the person who ran this underground business. His 'father' had died two days ago, and he was finally able to step up.

"You helped us, Ara," Adex said, sounding exactly like she would imagine a proud older brother to. "Without the Council helping, we would be on the verge of our own war still. You saved us."

Ara looked away and said, "I had a lot of help."

"Look," Adex said softly. He reached across the desk and took her smaller hands into his. "I know you don't know me, but I'd like to fix that. We can go home…help them fix things up, or stay here and live. But I'd really like you to stay with me…we are family."

Ara looked at the Doctor and Rose and Jack. They were family, they were the closest that she had ever known aside from Tave. She swallowed hard, and looked at him. He waited a moment and then sighed

"I would never make you stay...why don't you go back to your ship, and talk it over, huh?"

Ara nodded, and hurried to stand up. She ran, and she didn't stop until she was resting against the TARDIS doors. The Doctor was just behind her, and he looked down at her with a sad smile. He led her in, and all the way to her bedroom. She slipped inside, and was thankful when he didn't follow her.

DW

He was going to lose her, he could tell. He wanted her to be happy, wanted her to have a family, but selfishly he wanted that to be them. The Doctor sighed, and leaned against the wall outside of Ara's room. She wasn't doing anything, laying on the bed, and staring at the ceiling.

She didn't want to talk, and he could respect that, but he was anxious inside. He had no reason not to trust Adex, and he was family. But losing her meant losing so much else too. He really thought that he was starting to face down his own demons, and her walking away might devastate progress.

Jack walked by again, Rose had been moments before. Both were just as curious about her decision. But as far as he could tell, she hadn't reached one yet. He thought of that first night, of holding her hand in his and begging her to find the will to live. And she had, and she was learning that life wasn't all war and hate.

And he was learning that hiding wasn't the right way to handle the past, and it didn't matter what scars you wore from it.

Finally deciding that he had to do something he pushed himself away from the wall and went to the kitchen, and made her a tray. She needed to eat, and he needed to have an excuse to go into that room. He carried the tray to her room, and balanced it on one arm while he knocked on the door.

"Come in," she said, her voice strained.

He didn't think she had been crying, but when he entered he could see that he was wrong. She had her hands in her lap, clutching a tiny picture.

He sat the tray down to her at once.

"Ara?" he asked, pulling her closer.

She opened her hands to show a picture of a boy…who looked to be around twelve. The Doctor could see the light eyes, the dark hair and the smile that defied the uniform.

"Tave?" he asked.

"It's the only one that exists," she said. "I forgot I even had it."

"What are you thinking?" he asked her.

"I'm not sure," Ara said. "I keep thinking that I should take this chance…he's the family I never had. But I love it here, I love this life."

He nodded slowly. He didn't want to say the wrong thing, didn't want to beg her to stay if leaving was the right choice for her. He clenched the fist that she couldn't see. How could she be going so soon? He thought that they still had time.

He knew that she was going…she didn't have to say it. That was his life, every time he got close; found something he held dear he lost it.

And if this was what she wanted, he would not stand in her way. But losing her was going to be a heavy price for loving her, but one he had always known would come.

"What do I do?" she asked. "What do I do?"

He kissed her head and sighed. He wished he had the answer, wished he could lead her down the right path, but this was a choice she had to make on her own. If he influenced it, and she was unhappy down the road, she would blame him. He couldn't have that.

"I have to stay," she said, very calmly. "I have to give him a chance."

His hearts screamed at him, begged him to tell her it was the wrong choice, but he didn't argue.

"Why don't you wait until morning," he advised.

She nodded and he stood.

"Tave would have been proud of you," he said, looking to the picture she held close.

"Thank you," she said, and he slipped from the room.


	21. Chapter 21

Jack awoke and stared at the ceiling above his head. Today was the day she was leaving, and he was trying to keep his selfish words to himself. She had filled his dreams and her walking away was going to hurt him deeply. He understood why she was going, he really did. But that didn't take away the sting that the thought brought.

She had a brother, a family she had never known and he knew what he would give up to get back to his family. So he couldn't blame her for going.

Jack sat up slowly, and ran a hand down his face. It was early still, early enough there was no rush to shower and shave. Early enough he had the luxury of wallowing in self pity for a few minutes.

This wasn't going to just affect him. Rose had become fast friends with Ara, and Jack would have to be blind to realize that the way the Doctor cared for the girl wasn't purely platonic. And it was more than that…they were so much the same. They bore similar scars and he knew that it was going to kill the Doctor to watch her walk away too.

But this was one of those times; you kept your mouth shut and did what was best for the person that you cared about.

A soft knock broke into his thoughts. Jack expected the Doctor, maybe even Rose. Either of them had been in his room before.

"Come in," he responded softly.

The door opened slowly, and Ara walked into the room. He swallowed a gasp. He wasn't expecting her, and he could hardly look at her. He tried to find the right balance of eye contact and not screaming out for her not to go.

"Can…can we talk?" she asked, standing by the door still.

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding his head quickly. "Of course….want to sit?"

She moved over to the bed, sitting near him. Up close he could see that she had been crying, and he fought the strong urge to wrap his arms around her. He would let her share what she wanted to share, and it was very possible that she didn't even want him to know that the tears had fallen.

"I'm scared," she said, very softly.

He almost missed it. Being afraid…admitting she was afraid was huge for a person like Ara. And the fact that she had chosen him to admit her weakness to touched his heart. He wrapped a cautious arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

"But it's going to be okay," Jack said, trying to sound confident and strong.

"You can't know that," she argued.

He sighed. "You're right…I can't, but I can believe that."

She looked up at him. Her eyes were dark but filled with hope, and as much as he wanted to keep her to himself, he wanted this for her more.

She nodded after a moment, and he just held her. They sat there in the silence, her warmth seeping into his side and helping to fight off the chill of loneliness. He held her as long as he could, until he thought the others would probably be up and about

Then he kissed her head, and she stood up.

"Thanks," she said, and hurried from the room.

He watched her go, hands gripping the bed tight. This was what was best, he knew it in his heart, but that didn't stop the pain.

DW

Ara sat on her bed. She was waiting and feeling worried and excited. A new life, it was why she had left her planet in the first place. She was going to have a family, a brother that was all her own. She never had to fight again. This was everything she wanted, but tears were still streaming down her face.

She ran her hand along the bed, touching the soft blankets. She had never had a bed before, never felt as safe as she had in the TARDIS. But it now seemed that this was just a temporary stop on a longer journey.

She knew no one was going to make her go; no one would kick her off this ship. Adex would let her fly off into the universe if that was what she wanted, but she was nothing more than a coward if she didn't face her fears. She had to stay, because she couldn't run forever. Leaving here was going to hurt; walking away from the only other people she had ever loved wasn't going to be easy.

But this was a chance she had to take. This was something that she had to do, so when the Doctor knocked on her door she stood at once. There was no Tave, the war was over. Today is what she had, and it was her choice what to do with it.

She would live in his honor, she would try for him. She would be everything she could be, for the boy who never belonged anywhere but with her.

DW

The Doctor watched her step out into the hall. She had been crying, but he couldn't acknowledge it, because he was already on shaky ground. He gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder but she threw her arms around him.

So he held her, and just let her be for a moment. He wasn't abandoning her here that much he had decided last night. He had little blue ball, with a little button in it. If pressed it would send a signal to the TARDIS. He could be back to her in minutes if she decided this life wasn't what she wanted.

But it was going to be her choice. Finally he pulled back and Jack and Rose appeared. They all walked her outside and he gave her the ball and explained. She nodded and slipped it into a pocket.

Adex approached, looking even more like her in the sun. He smiled at her, and patted her back gently.

"Ready, little sister?" he asked, smiling down at her.

She nodded.

"Goodbye," she said, and hugged each of them one last time.

"We will come visit?" Jack asked.

"Of course," the Doctor agreed at once.

"You will be welcome anytime," Adex said, offering his hand to the Doctor to shake. "Thank you for taking care of Ara."

"She took care of us too," the Doctor replied with a faint smile.

She turned, lead away by her brother. With the smallest look back he watched her disappear into a building.

Rose moved closer and laid her head on his arm. He hugged her and let out a sigh. He loved Rose, and he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

It was brief, but it was something. He let her go and headed back to the TARDIS. They would be back to visit Ara, he would make sure. And he knew that she was alive, and she was safe, and she would be happy. That was the best he could hope for with any companion. So he closed the TARDIS doors behind her, and walked the path up to the console to lead them away.


End file.
